Owen Owen's Site

September 1936

EXCAVATIONS IN THE CROSS

On the day I sent the copy for my last article to be printed a quantity of human remains were unearthed at the top end of Butcher Row. These have been interred near the spot where they were found.

A number of boots were discovered in a dung heap in the quarry. The large boots (one having the upper still held by the leather stitches) were 11-ins. long by 41/2-ins. wide, and a, child's boot 6-ins. long by 21/2-ins. wide. One can imagine some serf or villein using these by the very rough leather lace stitching which held them together.

Near the deep cellar before mentioned another cellar had been filled in about 200 years ago, but nothing of importance was found when it was cleared. The new street is taking shape, and the sewers nearly finished, so little more in "finds" is expected. However, a very interesting stone wall has been discovered close to the north side of the new river culvert. The bottom of the wall (which was seven feet wide) was not reached: It was made of stone and puddle clay; in the ground at one end a well had been sunk, which formerly supplied the cattle in Smith-field Market, and people also drank it. The water could not have been quite pure, as it was close to the old river, and near a paint factory, and even to-day on digging the trenches the odour of turps and paint is very strong, while the oil floats on the water in the trenches. This place was where turps or terebine was first manufactured in Coventry.

On this spot once stood Beck's ribbon factory, the first to use steam. Here in 1831 a number of persons, agitating over the wage question, forced an entrance to the factory, setting fire to it, and hurled the looms out of the windows into the Prior's Pool. Several men were sent to Van Diemen's Land, while Thomas Burbury and Benjamin Sparkes were condemned to death, but by the efforts of Mr. Ellice, M.P. for Coventry, a reprieve was granted.

Referring again to the wall, another section made of stone and lime ran towards Hales Street, and it is possible this wall linked up with the wide wall, but had been divided by the sinking of the well. A little higher up on the south side of the culvert another well was found. Small articles such as thimbles, tiles, boots, etc., are being found, but very little else now can be revealed. Should anything important come to light I will report in my next article, and if not, I shall give the story of further excavations in the river bed in Pool Meadow. Owing to the great demand on my time I am considering giving up my historical research at the end of the year, but shall give other articles until all the excavations have been recorded.

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