Meeting House, Smithford Street, St. John's Hospital Excavations

October 1935

EXCAVATIONS ON SITE OF THE MEETING HOUSE

Since writing my last article no other digging on this site has been done, but on the site of St. Nicholas, Corpus Christi, or Leather Hall, quite a lot of stone has been taken in good condition, and I hope it may find its way to some outdoor museum in Coventry. No other digging is to be done on the site of this Hall. In 1423, when money was being raised for warfare for Henry the Fifth, a Hall of 48 discreet persons was held in the St. Nicholas Hall, and the Mayor, Henry Peyto, received from them the sum of £33 2s. raised in the different wards. The sum should have been £40, but 20s. was forgiven in each ward, This Hall was extensively used in the 17th century for housing soldier prisoners brought into Coventry.

EXCAVATIONS ON THE SITE OF ST. JOHN'S HOSPITAL

Some two years ago excavations took place at the north side of St. John's Hospital, near where the Swine's Cross stood, once the site of the pig market. In the destruction of the old houses quite a lot of stone figures were discovered, which had probably been brought from the Monastery, but these I am sorry to say found their way to the refuse tip. Excavations of 12 or 13 feet in depth did not reveal much, but not the less it was interesting. A number of boot soles and black unglazed pottery of Norman or Saxon period were found, as also a dog or goat's leather collar with brass decorations on, and a number of plain glazed tiles of the 13th century. One outstanding article found was a stone lamp about 81/2-ins. high and 51/2-ins. across, with a bowl 4-ins. deep, and with ivy decorations round the base and on the bowl. This has been submitted to Mr. P. Chatwin, of Leamington, who states it to be a Norman lamp, of which only one other is known to exist of similar construction (from Kenilworth Castle) and has been exhibited at Birmingham with the one in my possession. It is made of white limestone, possibly from near Rugby, and is in perfect condition. In the bowl are marks of burning, as though the wick had burnt low into the oil. Did this lamp light the Chapel, or did it light the poor wayfarers in St. John's Hospital ?

Next month I shall write about the Barracks Square.

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