Park Side Excavations

December 1933

PARK SIDE, LITTLE PARK STREET GATE, AND DISTRICT

Little Park Street is supposed to have taken its name in 1388, but it can be traced as far back as 1384, when the Large Park would be divided. The street itself, near the gate, possessed a very fine bed of clay, and has actually been quarried at least to a depth of 12ft. This was possibly filled in just before the building of the Gate, as small pieces of medieval pottery were found in the filling. Only one or two pieces of pottery of the 15th Century were found on the Parkside, one piece being of a different shape to any other then found (but one other has been found since in the river bed.)

Near the Gate at the present building of the new King's Head or Park Gate Inn, quite a lot of pottery of medieval period was found, one piece having on it two dogs, with a paw on bone, and another piece having on it ears of wheat in raised strips of clay, also several bones and tools, while the foundations of the wall were discovered. Here at a short distance from the wall the sand had been quarried. This quarry was inside the wall and where the stone was given by the Black Prince, for the building of Grey Friars' Church in 1358.

The Park of over 400 acres was at one time held by the Benedictine monks, and was looked on as a place of refuge by those fleeing from justice. It was also used as a preaching-place from very early times. John Grace preached there for a week to large congregations in the 15th century. In 1549, John, Duke of Northumberland, granted a lease of the Park for 99 years to the Corporation on condition that they allowed 80 poor men to turn a cow to pasture at 1d. per year, and 20 men a gelding at 2d. per year. In 1622 a fine avenue of 250 trees was planted from the quarries to Quinton Pool by the Mayor, Thomas Potter. These were cut down in 1787. At the outside of the city wall on Parkside, soldiers who had deserted and were captured, were shot. From 1510 to 1555 eleven martyrs were burnt at the stake. In 1753 the Rev. George Whitfield preached in the Park. In 1779 John Wesley should have preached there, but rain prevented.

Quinton, a suburb of Coventry, had only one house, which was burnt down some 70 or 80 years ago, and the present one built. Its name is derived from Thomas de Quinton, who in 1384 was keeper of the King's deer. No part of Coventry is more interesting than the district of Cheylesmore.

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