Dun Cow Inn, Jordan Well, 1963

[dutchman]

(Click on the picture to see a higher resolution image)
What's unusual about this picture is that it shows part of the fruit & veg stall to the right of the pub which accounts for so many women with shopping bags. The land on which the stall stood was owned by the Flowers brewery but operated by a Mrs Maton in spite of many protests from rival traders. Planning permission was granted only retrospectively.
One week after the pub closed for good it was struck by lightning and badly damaged!
I remember the thunderstorm well and especially hearing the bolt which struck the pub. It left a huge crack in the front of the building.
The fruit & veg stall continued trading successfully for some years after the pub closed.
The pub and the 14th Century buildings to the left of it were finally knocked down in 1969 to make way for an extension to the college library.

[DavidHT]

Fascinating stuff! My grandmother and grandfather were landlord of The Dun Cow at some point in their lives, their names were Harry and Florence Gould. If you happen to have a better quality copy of this picture, or any others of The Dun Cow, or even any stories about it, I would love to hear them.

You can contact me either here or DavidHolderTwomlow at googlemail.com

Many thanks!

[dutchman]

Hello David

That particular photo doesn't belong to me. It was published by the Coventry Telegraph on their website here:
When Coventry had 250 pubs
They might be willing to sell you a print of the original or they might not, depending on how much work is involved.

This one is from Pictures of Coventry:


Likewise this one which shows part of Dewhurst the butchers but not the fruit and veg stall which for a long time sat between the two:


A side-on view showing a pile of discarded palettes on which which fruit & veg was delivered to the stall alongside:


As for the the pub itself there isn't very much else I can tell you other than it traded from 1735 to 1964. It was of such architectural importance apparently that this picture was taken of its internal timber framed construction:
http://www.picturesofcoventry.co.uk/cgi ... _no=c02021


At one time there were two shops alongside which were part of the same building. These were destroyed in the war and replaced with a forecourt. There was a long running battle between Flowers brewery - who wanted to rebuild the pub and shops in their original location facing the street and the council - who wanted them to move elsewhere entirely. A compromise was eventually reached in which a new pub The Lady Godiva was built on the corner of Jordan Well and Much Park Street, just a few doors away from the original.

[DavidHT]

Many thanks for posting these... I have a feeling the last one of the bedroom may have been my mother's bedroom. She mentioned to me once how cold, draughty and unpleasant the accommodation was.

I did a bit of digging, and my grandfather, Harry Gould, was landlord twice, strangely. The first time was in 1956, after which the licence apparently went to a Joseph Carr, and at some point between 1956 and the pub's demolition in in the 1960s, he had it again, although I'm not clear why.

You mentioned the landlord's daughter in your photo, do you know who was the landlord at the time of your photo in 1963?

[dutchman]

You mentioned the landlord's daughter in your photo, do you know who was the landlord at the time of your photo in 1963?

Afraid not David. I don't even remember the girl's name only that she was extremely pretty and not interested in me!

[DavidHT]

Hehe never mind it was worth a thought.

What I have managed to find is that the pub was closed and demolished in 1964, according to an entry in the Coventry City Council archives. Their first record goes back only to 1866, however The Dun Cow was mentioned in Hewitt's Journal in 1756, when the mayor billeted 8 soldiers at the Dun Cow in Jordan Well.

In 1860 the then landlord David Smith changed the name to the Vampire Museum Inn! This lasted only until 1866 when it was changed back again to The Dun Cow.

I'd love to know a little more of the history of the place from 1735 onwards, and also what possessed a man to rename it the Vampire Museum Inn!

[dutchman]

What I have managed to find is that the pub was closed and demolished in 1964, according to an entry in the Coventry City Council archives. Their first record goes back only to 1866, however The Dun Cow was mentioned in Hewitt's Journal in 1756, when the mayor billeted 8 soldiers at the Dun Cow in Jordan Well.

In 1860 the then landlord David Smith changed the name to the Vampire Museum Inn! This lasted only until 1866 when it was changed back again to The Dun Cow.

I'd love to know a little more of the history of the place from 1735 onwards, and also what possessed a man to rename it the Vampire Museum Inn!

The Dun Cow Inn was at No 42.

According to John Ashby's seminal local pub guide "The Character of Coventry" the Vampire was a separate pub at No 47, formerly called the "Pheasant Cock" [Hewitt], the "Cock" or the "Gamecock".

To be honest there are huge gaps in the history of 'both' pubs which nobody has yet managed to explain. Also, while still an extremely comprehensive resource, John Ashby's guide is far from being infallible.

[DavidHT]

Fascinating stuff.. many thanks!

[dutchman]

The following transcript is taken from an article that appeared in the Coventry Evening Telegraph on 26th February 1964...

After more than 100 years as a public house, the Dun Cow Inn. Jordan Well, Coventry, part of which was constructed in mediaeval times, yesterday closed its doors for the last time and was replaced by the £30,000 Lady Godiva, situated only a few yards away on the corner of Jordan Well and Much Park Street. The Dun Cow Inn is of historical interest and when the land lord Mr. Len Gould and his family leave members of the staff at the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum will examine the solid oak beams and certain other features which may be preserved. On the upper floor level there are extensive remains of a fine , two-bay mediaeval hall divided by a massive, but depleted, arch-braced collar beam. Additions have been made to the inn since mediaeval times and the rear wing of the building is of 17th century origin, while the hall block itself belongs to the mid-15th century. All the bar fittings and furniture are of the Victorian era as well as the concert hall at the rear of the inn. Extensive damage was caused by war-time bombing and a new frontage was put on the inn, but the other parts of the building of greater historical interest survived. Formerly a dwelling house it is difficult to determine when it became a public house, but records show that it has belonged to Stratford-on-Avon brewers, Flower and Sons Ltd„ since 1884. Earlier records confirm that it was a public house as far back as 1847 when it was owned by a Mr. Peter Walker. Many people have been customer for over 60 years just after the turn of the century the inn opening early in the mornings to serve workers with rum and coffee. Old customers still keep alive rumour that a man hanged himself in one of the upstairs bedrooms. Mr. Gould put the towels up for the last time after he had drawn pints for the gathering of old customers who attended a farewell celebration last night. He has been manager for the past three months, but his father Mr. Harry Gould, now the manager of a public house near Evesham, was the landlord of the inn for eight years.

[dutchman]

It's amazing what turns up when looking for something else!