Gosford Gate to Gulson Road

Gosford Gate

fter viewing the wall stretching from near Cox Street, there is nothing remaining to be seen as we turn southwards and move towards National Tyres at the join of Gosford and Far Gosford Streets, where we find markings in the ground at the entrance depicting the place where once stood Gosford gate.

As this plaque on the left explains, and the sketch above testifies, the view here from the outside of the gate (in Far Gosford Street) shows St. George's Chapel adjoining the gate on its northern side. The River Sherbourne was bridged by the chapel, and in the photograph below the river can be seen from behind this plaque. After its brief appearance near Palmer Lane this is the first place where it can be seen on the east side of the city centre. During the late 19th, but more so in the 20th century, most of the river was culverted in the town centre.

Find it on the map....

Gosford gate would have been the primary eastern entrance to Coventry from other major places such as Rugby, Lutterworth and Market Harborough, all thriving market towns in medieval times.

Town Wall at Gulson Road

Next to National Tyres red coloured paving marks the approximate route of the wall south from the gate. This continued alongside the river - as usual forming a natural moat - until it came to a very large circular watch tower, near the location where once stood Whitefriars' Mill.

At this tower the wall turned sharply at right-angles to head westwards, and along the south side of the wall was the appropriately named Mill Lane - not to be confused with the other Mill Lane, which became Cox Street in 1861. This lane running alongside the wall became Brick Kiln Lane by the 1800s, and since 1905 has been Gulson Road in tribute to one of the city's great benefactors, John Gulson.

Find it on the map....

Although showing the wear and tear of the passing centuries, I think the wall here still retains more character than any modern structure.

The wall here continued to the west, skirting the top of the London Road and adjoining New Gate, which gave entrance to the east-west part of Much Park Street.

Previous page: Mill Lane (Bastille) Gate & Cox Street Wall

This page: Gosford Gate to Gulson Road

Next page: New Gate, London Road to Greyfriars Gate