The Jigsaw of History Tour

Lady Godiva Statue

We start off the tour Broadgate around Godiva's Statue, at the heart of the 'City of Tomorrow', Donald Gibson's masterplan for the post-war reconstruction of Coventry.

At the last surviving former ribbon weaving factory in the City Centre, hear about the rise and fall of this industry, next to the surviving wall of the original Coventry Cathedral; St Mary's.

Sir Frank Whittle statue

Next to his statue, here the story of Earlsdon born Engineer and RAF officer, Sir Frank Whittle, inventor of the jet engine.

Lady Herbert's Garden

In and around Lady Herbert's Garden, you'll find out about the birth of the bicycle industry and how the modern bike came into being. Turn around and we see the start of the best preserved section of the Coventry City Wall, the story of how it was built and why industrialist Alfred Herbert saved if from destruction, before hearing the tale of the one time the wall was needed, the tale of the true beginning of the English Civil War.

That's right, we'll spend a couple of minutes on this tour to learn about the engineering marvel that is the Coventry Ring Road!

Next to the Coventry Transport Museum, hear the story of the Coventry Motor industry; How Coventry became the motor city of England and a global centre of car manufacture, and then how it almost all disappeared forever.

Very much off the beaten track see a few things in the heart of the city that many of the locals don't know are there.

Old Grammar School

On one street corner, you can see the building we shouldn't call the Old Grammar School, an artwork celebrating the Coventry motor industry, and the building names after the most famous poet from the city.

Belgrade Theatre

Walking around the outside of the Belgrade Theatre, various artworks will be used to help tell the stories of the theatre itself, the long history of plays which Coventry was famous for, Ira Aldridge who 200 years after Othello was written became the first Black man to play the led character, and the three most prominent women of the arts in the history of the city.

Here we spend 5 minutes to take in a few things including the building built in1505 by Thomas Bond, which are still used for the same purpose he intended today, over 500 years later.

The Parish Church of St John the Baptist

Outside this church, originally built as a private church for the richest in the city, your guide will explain why it is claimed to be the original of the phrase 'Sent to Coventry'.

Historic Spon Street

In and around Spon Street, we'll talk more about industries like dying, tanning, watchmaking and bicycles as well as how the street was for centuries one of the major roads in the country, and while not everything is as it may first seem in the area.

Coventry Market Shopping Centre

Just a quick pop into the market. Not on Sundays.

In The Bull Yard and Shelton Square find out more about the 'City of Tomorrow' and the stories behind some of eclectic public artworks in the area, as well as finding out what the area had been back in days gone by.

Here highlights of the story of one of the real hidden gems of Coventry, Cheylesmore Manor House, a 700 year-old Royal Palace in the heart of he city.

Hear the story of Coventry's great survivor: Greyfriars Spire.

Fords Hospital

A travel writer in 1902 said "Perhaps there is nothing so exquisite in the whole Kingdon as Ford's Hospital in Coventry"...

To wind up, we spend a couple of minute looking at a handful of things in Hertford Street as we meander back to the starting point