Coventry has had three Cathedral's spanning nearly 1000 years, when you visit you are able to walk through the bombed cathedral as well as the New Cathedral. The cathedral's stand side by side in unity as a reflection of the reality of destruction but also of rebuilding.
From charred remains to “bopping angels” (to quote Archbishop Justin Welby), the Ruins and the new Cathedral, with its chapels and use of perspective and light, make possible numerous journeys of transformation from darkness to light, assisted by the insights offered by the many permanent artworks. Our story and purpose are embodied in the buildings you will find here.
We recommend beginning your journey from the old Cathedral to the New Cathedral.
Looking to delve deeper? Why not book a guided tour
Interactivefloorplan
Use our interactive floor plan to explore our magnificent building and its features. Simply click on one of the items below to learn more about each part.
1. The Ruins
The Ruins are the remains of a medieval parish church. Hit directly by several incendiary bombs, the Cathedral burned with the city on the 14th November 1940.
Designed by Graham Sutherland, this impressive tapestry was woven by hand on a 500 year old loom and was at one point the largest continuously woven tapestry in the world.
The principle of a Chapel of Unity binding the Church of England and the Free Churches together for Christian service in Coventry was born out of the sufferings of war and the ecumenical enthusiasm of the church leaders.
The impressive large glass ‘west’ screen was designed and hand engraved by John Hutton over the course of 10 years, and features 66 figures depicting saints and angels.
Most of this is carried out by highly-skilled expert craftspeople.
Below are details of some of the Cathedral’s current and recent major projects, which – alongside our day-to-day conservation and restoration work – are essential for protecting and preserving this special place for future generations.
