Coventry Cathedral is unlike anywhere else in Britain: two cathedrals standing side by side, one a haunting open-air ruin, the other a 20th-century masterpiece — together the most powerful war memorial in the country. On the night of 14 November 1940 the medieval cathedral burned with its city in the Blitz; the decision to rebuild was taken the very next morning, and the result is a world symbol of peace and reconciliation. Remarkably, it’s all free to visit, with donations warmly welcomed.
The Ruins
Walking into the roofless shell of the old cathedral is genuinely moving. At the altar stands the Charred Cross, made from two burnt roof beams found fallen in the shape of a cross the morning after the raid, beneath the carved words “Father Forgive”. The medieval tower and spire survived — the third highest in England — and on weekends you can climb its 180 steps for sweeping views over the city. Tucked into a corner, the volunteer-run Blitz museum tells the stories of the night Coventry burned.
The New Cathedral
Sir Basil Spence’s 1962 cathedral, joined to the ruins by a great glass screen, is regularly voted Britain’s favourite 20th-century building — and inside it’s a casket of modern masterpieces: John Piper’s kaleidoscopic Baptistry Window flooding the nave with colour, Graham Sutherland’s colossal Christ in Glory tapestry (among the largest ever woven), and Jacob Epstein’s dramatic St Michael defeating the devil at the entrance. Sunny mornings, when the light pours through the glass, are pure magic.
Visiting Coventry Cathedral
The cathedral is in the heart of Coventry’s old quarter, ten minutes’ walk from the station, with the medieval St Mary’s Guildhall right next door and Holy Trinity’s famous Doom painting across the way. It’s a working cathedral, so check ahead for services and events, and allow a couple of hours for ruins, new cathedral and museum. Complete a Coventry day at the excellent (and also free) Coventry Transport Museum, five minutes’ walk away.
Plan Your Visit
Opening times, tower climb days and events are on the official Coventry Cathedral website.
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