Meeting House, Smithford Street

September 1935

EXCAVATIONS ON SITE OF THE MEETING HOUSE

My last article dealt with the building of the Great Meeting House; now I want to describe what excavations reveal. For many years it has been said that beneath the Meeting House there was a crypt in good condition, that people had entered it and that it contained stones for holding leather, also that the places where knives were sharpened were to be seen. This crypt was said to be a part of the Leather Hall, and even the "house-breakers" were warned of its presence. I myself thought a crypt was there, but did not think it was once part of the Leather Hall. I quote W. Reader, who in his history of Coventry says - "The Presbyterian Dissenters, ever since such liberty had been granted by the late King James, had holden their meetings at St. Nicholas Hall, in West Orchard, where they had erected seats and galleries; but as this was an inconvenient situation, they built in 1701 a very decent and commodious Meeting House in Smithford Street, near to the said Hall, which with the purchase of the old houses cost about £800. Here it still remains."

A right of way ran between the Meeting House and this Hall, the deeds of which I have in my possession. In 1738 the ruins were sold in "fee farm" by the Corporation to William Freeman for £55 5s. and the deed signed by Samuel Eburne, Mayor, when the brick buildings now standing on large stone foundations were built. More will be said about the Hall in our issue next month.

Under the Meeting House were several places where the clay had been dug to a depth of 10 to 12 feet - no doubt the clay was for puddle for walls. Into these holes was thrown the cattle dung from the sheds, and in one place a mare and foal had been buried together, while evidently a quantity of faggots had been used in trying to burn them. One shoe from a fore-foot was found, and in the next pit a shoe of the 15th century was found in good condition. Its pointed toe was turned up, and to keep it stiffened when kneeling, a quantity of moss had been forced into it; near by a piece of mediaeval lead, about l1/2-in. bore, was found; this pipe was cast in the flat in lengths of 6 or 7 feet, and folded over, with the joint hammered and welded very skilfully into a piece on the top; the ends were placed together, and a large joint made flat on the top, wiped round underneath, and standing out from the pipe about one inch. This lead would most likely be brought from Derbyshire on pack horses, and would contain silver. Its use I think would be to carry the water from the conduit which stood in Smithford Street to the Leather Hall. This conduit stood near the White Horse Inn, and was under the care of the occupants of the Black Bull Inn, just opposite. Its water supply may have been from St. Katherine's well on the conduit head at the top of the Holyhead Road, which supplied the conduit near St. John's Church, afterwards Conduit Yard, and another conduit where Spon End schools now stand.

In 1487 one Thomas Harrington (an organ maker's son at Oxford, who had called himself the son of the Duke of Clarence) was brought a prisoner to this city on the Wednesday after St. Peter's Day; he was afterwards beheaded on the conduit opposite "The Bull," and buried at the Grey Friars, Warwick Lane. Why they should behead a man on the site which held their drinking water we cannot understand, but such was life in those days.

In the right of way at the west side of the Meeting House a large wine barrel was buried, its bottom being taken out, and the top put into the ground about ten feet, with two bung holes left open for drainage. It is a common occurrence to find these tubs, which were used as rubbish tips. The oak sides and bottom were in good condition after five or six hundred years in the earth. On examining the widest piece at the bottom a mark in the form of a star was found, as though it may have been "star brand."

In last month's issue, for Dr. Green read "Dr. Grew," and for 1672 read "1662."

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