Coventry Cross
While being an admirable copy, the modern version of the Coventry Cross standing between Cuckoo Lane and Holy Trinity Church, cannot compete for splendour with the one for which Coventry was famed from Tudor through to Georgian times. It was first proposed to build a replica in 1930, however, with so many unforeseen circumstances, it was not until the 1960's that the cross we see today was finally erected. The original cross stood at the place where Broadgate met Cross Cheaping, near Spicer Stoke, a very short row which led through from Broadgate to Butcher Row and Trinity church - about 100 metres from where the new one stands.
It was quite a substantial structure standing on eight pilars, but this was not the cross about which so many superlatives were spoken. Within a century the 1423 cross was rather the worse for wear, and by 1506 discussions were beginning as to its replacement.
In 1541 former mayor of London, Sir William Hollis, left £200 in his will toward the building of a new cross, which was begun in that year - and by 1544 the 57 foot high cross was completed. The new Coventry Cross was decorated with many statues of kings and saints, and as well as being brightly painted, was also covered with much gold. It was said at the time that on a sunny day, people could not bear to look directly at it!All visitors of note wrote enthusiastically about its fame and beauty, but all good things must come to an end, and after two glorious centuries, decay was once more setting in. In 1753 and 1755 the top two stages were removed to avoid danger of collapse. By 1771 it was declared to be in too ruinous a state to retain, and demolition was finally authorised. The remains stood for a short while longer; - at least until after 1778 when a visitor to Coventry wrote sadly that the decayed cross "...has no longer anything to please", before being totally removed and it's parts reused. Two of the statues now reside at St. Mary's Guildhall.
