Pool Meadow to Priory Street Excavations

April 1937

When digging out the river bed on the east side of Priory Street bridge a large amount of pottery of the 16th century was found, also many glass flagons, with here and there a piece of fourteenth century ware, and boot soles. From the bridge, and at the side near to the Baths the bottom course of stone left from the pulling down of the City Wall was still to be seen, and many were the piles on which it was built. After turning the bend in the river, a piece of the wall about 14-ft. high was discovered, and in the wall a round tower built on piles of silver birch. Lying with its head touching the piles lay the skeleton of a horse, as though it had fallen dead and been left there One of its fore shoes lay near, as also a dagger or bayonet with a piece broken off the point, and a wood handle carved with a projection on either side to protect the hand. Very near to this tower a bronze cooking vessel was found, and was no doubt used in the cooking for the men who built the tower. Who built the tower? Many men of note and City Guilds built the walls of about three miles in circumference, and near this tower a large stone, 40-ins. by 13-ins. was found containing three shields, about 12-ins. by 10-ins., on which were the Smiths' arms (see Smiths' Chapel, Cathedral), and another shield which may be the Wire-drawers' or Rope-makers' - I would rather think this to be the Wire-drawers', because they were connected in the Guilds' work, and the same instructions were given to them by the Leet; the centre shield bore the arms of the Grocers and Mercers (see Cathedral and S. Mary's Hall for the Mercers' Chapels). This stone weighs three to four cwt. On the Smiths' shield are the initials M S, and on the Wire-drawers' F. These may be the initials of the Masters of the Guilds. It is a very important and interesting find, and it narrowly escaped being smashed to pieces by a sledge hammer which a labourer was about to use on it. Many things no doubt have shared the fate this so narrowly escaped, thus showing how watchful one has to be to avoid destruction of some of the most interesting finds.

A few yards beyond the tower a large wood conduit was found, very similar to the one mentioned in a previous article. This conduit was connected with St. Osburg's Pool, and carried the water from the Pool to what I believe to be a mill which stood where the Triumph works stand. This mill stood about 200 yards to the west of the Earl's Mill, and may have been a mill belonging to the Nunnery of S. Osburg but used at a later period by the Benedictine Monastery.

Several lots of deers' antlers which had been nailed to some wall were found, and as it was common in Monasteries to use antlers for hanging clothes upon, it requires little imagination to think they were used for that purpose. A part of a very interesting jug lay near, which was of the green glare, and about 14th century period. It had the heads of three priests on, one looking front, and holding a bird (possibly a falcon); and a head on each side, with hands holding a buckle. Several pieces of pottery with buckles have been found, but what they denote I am at a loss to understand, and could my readers help in this I should be glad.

In a few weeks time about 2000 of the articles about which I have been writing since 1932 will be on view, along with about 200 pictures of old Coventry, when for a small charge of 6d. to help cover expenses they may be seen by the public until such time as a Civic Museum is built, when I hope they will be transferred to it. An announcement will be published in the daily papers when it will be opened. The Museum is built on my premises in Little Park Street, and will be known as "The Benedictine Museum."

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