Historic Coventry - Tourist Attractions
Coventry, once the forth largest medieval city in England, this once wealthy fortified city has a history spanning back to the 11th century and beyond shrouded with mystery, unexplained events and reported ghost sightings. The Historic Coventry Ghost walk touches on much of this history as well as bringing you the stories behind many documented unexplained sightings and events, foul deeds from murder to martyrs burnt at the stake, the mysteries from the city once at the very heart of medieval England.
The ghost walk which lasts over 2 hours and takes in 2and a quarter miles in a round trip starts at the recreated medieval street of Coventry, Spon street outside one of the cities oldest public houses the Old Windmill.
Formally known as Ma Browns The original bar has been converted in to a small snug room, a room at the back known as the brew house still retains the old brewing vessel as a main feature. The flagstone floor between the bar and the toilets is all that remains of an old courtyard. Strange sounds, knocks and bangs have often been herd in the pub when closed, and several people have reported a feeling of being shoved or pushed towards the old fireplace and stove. Poltergeist activity was also reported in the past as people have had items moved from one place to another and even small stones thrown at them, The pub has a very colorful history with many characters having worked there over the years, but its not known who is responsible for the present activity.
At the far end of spon street Standing proudly between Fleet Street and Hill Street is the church of St. John, also known in times past as Bablake church.
Founded in May 1344 by Queen Isabella, it was consecrated in 1350 and subsequently enlarged over the next century. During the 16th century when the monasteries were dissolved by King Henry VIII, the Guilds were also suppressed and that deprived St. John's church of its prime function. With only irregular use for worship over the following century, the most famous function of the church was its time spent being used as a prison for the captured Royalist soldiers Around 1648 Oliver Cromwell sent many Scottish Royalist prisoners (who had been fighting for Charles I) to be imprisoned in St. Johns Church in Fleet Street. While exercising in the streets, it was said that the soldiers were completely ostracised by the strongly parliamentarian Coventry folk, hence; people who have been shunned in that way were said to have been "sent to Coventry".
It has also been suggested that because Coventry was a place used to carry out executions, for example, the so called 'heretics' brought here to be burned in the 16th century, another theory is that to be "sent to Coventry" had far more serious connotations. Certainly those poor souls would never have been spoken to again! Was it the spirit of one of these soldiers captured on film in the cemetery of the old church who presented himself as an orb which when more closely examined seemed to contain a helmeted head.
In 1641 , a year before the start of the civil war, the people of Coventry discovered the existence of its first and only known serial killer. Bonds hospital which stands in Hill street behind the st johns church had an inmate simply known as Johnson. He apparently got on with very few of his fellow inmates and it is said that those who displeased him all died from poisoning which he administered, its not known whether he poisoned them individually or all in one go, but he eventually poisoned himself. His body was originally buried in the churchyard of Holy trinity, but after numerous objections, he was exhumed and buried as a traditional suicide, pinned down in the roadside outside the old cook street gate house, pinned down to stop his troubled spirit from rising back from the grave.
With this wealth of history from just one street in Coventry, why not join us on the Historic Coventry ghost walk to hear more about Coventry’s darker past and hauntings, from the famous ghosts of st marys guild hall, to the haunted monks seen at Coventry’s infamous cathedrals, local legends about satins 2 visits and world known legends of Lady Godiva and peeping tom and learn more about paranormal investigation including the ground breaking research started here in Coventry by Vic Tandy as he studied the effects of infra sound and its links to haunted locations including his study “something in the cellar” a location we also visit, for more information why not get in touch now www.coventryghostwalk.com or join us at 6.30 every Friday evening
