Medieval Far Gosford Street - Coventry - Proposed Masterplan

[Dr Pepper]

This one is now mostly down. There are some large pieces of stone in the middle of the exposed wall, blackened by a fireplace. I wonder how old parts of this building are?

[Dr Pepper]

Roof now on.

[NewTroll]

Originally Posted by Dr Pepper

This one is now mostly down. There are some large pieces of stone in the middle of the exposed wall, blackened by a fireplace. I wonder how old parts of this building are?

You can never tell with Cov as old buildings tended to be patched up as the post-medieval city was in economic stagnation from a good few centuries until the mid Victorian period when the weaving and watchmaking industries expanded...

This is why places like the Burges have bricked up medieval buildings in them...

I doubt it'd be a stone medieval house as they would have been built by wealthy merchants who would have been located inside the city wallls.

The planning application should have a survey... chances are it's cheap Victorian infill that was common in Coventry.

FGS was a main route into the city and would have had coaching houses along it, so it could be related to that.

[fourbytwo]

Any idea who did the demolition for 59-60 FGS. I did some speculative cost planning work for this site and got some demolition quotes, however the client has gone all quiet on me.

[Dr Pepper]

Originally Posted by fourbytwo

Any idea who did the demolition for 59-60 FGS. I did some speculative cost planning work for this site and got some demolition quotes, however the client has gone all quiet on me.

No idea I'm afraid. I don't recall seeing any signs for contractors.

[NewTroll]

When the city wall was demolished, local people were paid to take chunks of it away. I wonder if any of that stone ended up in buildings? That's another possible origin of the stone in the building.

[Dr Pepper]

Originally Posted by fourbytwo

Any idea who did the demolition for 59-60 FGS. I did some speculative cost planning work for this site and got some demolition quotes, however the client has gone all quiet on me.

I walked past it today and a sign for Coventry Demolition Co was up.

[fourbytwo]

Originally Posted by Dr Pepper

I walked past it today and a sign for Coventry Demolition Co was up.

Thanks for that. This project is being rejigged, but still for student housing, just a bit smaller.

[Dr Pepper]

[NewTroll]

Interesting. The stone bit looks to of a different period to the brick bit.

[stig1982]

I'm actually quite glad they've demolished the buildings at 59-60 FGS now. They weren't worth saving and even the Far Gosford Street Area Conservation Guide (I forget the exact name of the document, but I recommend you all try and get a copy) recommended that the site be "comprehensively redeveloped".

There is a live planning application on the planning portal but as far as I can tell it has neither been approved or denied. It therefore seems strange in a way that the buildings have been demolished. I suppose it was for health and safety reasons after the recent fire at number 59.

I'm hoping to see some work starting soon elsewhere on the street. At the Heritage Weekend back in September it was certainly suggested by those in power that further works would be underway soon.

[fourbytwo]

It was knocked because of H&S issues after the fire and due to serious drug use. I understand planning is held up due to disputed land title, but is being sorted.

[stig1982]

Originally Posted by fourbytwo

It was knocked because of H&S issues after the fire and due to serious drug use. I understand planning is held up due to disputed land title, but is being sorted.

I'm glad to hear that the scheme is going ahead, because I have looked at the plans in detail and I think they are excellent.

I take it you have a personal/commercial interest in the development. If so, good luck to you, I hope it is a success.

[fourbytwo]

Thanks Stig, however nothing is certain in this present climate.

[Rheimsway]

Hi All from an ex Coventry kid.
I left Coventry in 1970 so memeory is not what it used to be. I used this road when i was a kid using the Crown, later renamed Paris cinema in the mid 50s through to the 60s when i was a kid. On the corner of Lower Ford street was Astons car showrooms. Behind the Crown/Paris was a bagwash laundry, and if we took the washing to them, they very often gave you a free ticket to Crown pictures while you waited for the washing.
Further up by the no 1,7, and 11 bus stop was Garlicks the butcher who always had a large display of pies in the window. Just past this was a second hand shop, with the entrance set in an old stone alcove, where there was a coke bottle vending machine. (1 shilling a bottle). almost opposite this was a chip shop either before or just after bramble st.
Where the Odeon (scala) was , the shop Coventry Cabinet, then jutted out making the pavement much narrower. further up you had Davis sport shop, (before they moved to smithfield way) , and just a little further on was the milk bar, which had a blocked of passageway alongside of it leading to the radiator factory behind it. Facing the milkbar was, i think, Caplins the tailors.
I have studied the photos posted by Dr Pepper, but i am confused a little, as i remember a pub called the Pitts Head, but cannot see it.
Behind the bank was an engineering works with the entrance being in Paynes lane adj Arrighies garage.
Tom

[NewTroll]

Originally Posted by Rheimsway

Hi All from an ex Coventry kid.
I left Coventry in 1970 so memeory is not what it used to be. I used this road when i was a kid using the Crown, later renamed Paris cinema in the mid 50s through to the 60s when i was a kid. On the corner of Lower Ford street was Astons car showrooms. Behind the Crown/Paris was a bagwash laundry, and if we took the washing to them, they very often gave you a free ticket to Crown pictures while you waited for the washing.
Further up by the no 1,7, and 11 bus stop was Garlicks the butcher who always had a large display of pies in the window. Just past this was a second hand shop, with the entrance set in an old stone alcove, where there was a coke bottle vending machine. (1 shilling a bottle). almost opposite this was a chip shop either before or just after bramble st.
Where the Odeon (scala) was , the shop Coventry Cabinet, then jutted out making the pavement much narrower. further up you had Davis sport shop, (before they moved to smithfield way) , and just a little further on was the milk bar, which had a blocked of passageway alongside of it leading to the radiator factory behind it. Facing the milkbar was, i think, Caplins the tailors.
I have studied the photos posted by Dr Pepper, but i am confused a little, as i remember a pub called the Pitts Head, but cannot see it.
Behind the bank was an engineering works with the entrance being in Paynes lane adj Arrighies garage.
Tom

Hi Tom, welcome, nice to hear memories of the old days.

I guess if you came back to Coventry now you'd struggle to see any of what you mention. It's all gone. The most recent casualty was the pub next door to the former Morris works (Which is now part of Coventry University)...

[Dr Pepper]

Originally Posted by Rheimsway

Hi All from an ex Coventry kid.
I left Coventry in 1970 so memeory is not what it used to be. I used this road when i was a kid using the Crown, later renamed Paris cinema in the mid 50s through to the 60s when i was a kid. On the corner of Lower Ford street was Astons car showrooms. Behind the Crown/Paris was a bagwash laundry, and if we took the washing to them, they very often gave you a free ticket to Crown pictures while you waited for the washing.
Further up by the no 1,7, and 11 bus stop was Garlicks the butcher who always had a large display of pies in the window. Just past this was a second hand shop, with the entrance set in an old stone alcove, where there was a coke bottle vending machine. (1 shilling a bottle). almost opposite this was a chip shop either before or just after bramble st.
Where the Odeon (scala) was , the shop Coventry Cabinet, then jutted out making the pavement much narrower. further up you had Davis sport shop, (before they moved to smithfield way) , and just a little further on was the milk bar, which had a blocked of passageway alongside of it leading to the radiator factory behind it. Facing the milkbar was, i think, Caplins the tailors.
I have studied the photos posted by Dr Pepper, but i am confused a little, as i remember a pub called the Pitts Head, but cannot see it.
Behind the bank was an engineering works with the entrance being in Paynes lane adj Arrighies garage.
Tom

Hi Tom. Glad you liked the photos. All four pubs in the street are shown in the pictures. Can you remember where about in the street the Pitts Head was?

[Rheimsway]

Hi NewTroll and Dr Pepper, many thanks for the warm welcome. I came back to Coventry about 10 yrs ago for a flying visit, and yes , its changed a lot, but somethings are exactly as when i left.When i was about 15,1960ish, I vaguely remember trying to find someone in Far Gosford St, and was told to look in certain pubs,and i found him in the pitts head,somewhere opposite the Odeon, as it was then called.
I lived in Stoke Heath, and it was 1 and halfpenny by bus from the council house to valley road, but if we walked to gosford green it was only a 1d.
I left coventry just as they were completing the ring road,I have looked at various sites and i,m astonished at the destruction that has been done in the name of progress.
All the history around the Gosford - Ford st area that came with Singer,Coventry Victor, Lea francis, Climax, Sturmy archer, BTH etc, all swept away, and for what?. All of these factories were still standing after the war, but none ,as far as i know are there now.
regards Tom

[stig1982]

Originally Posted by Rheimsway

Hi NewTroll and Dr Pepper, many thanks for the warm welcome. I came back to Coventry about 10 yrs ago for a flying visit, and yes , its changed a lot, but somethings are exactly as when i left.When i was about 15,1960ish, I vaguely remember trying to find someone in Far Gosford St, and was told to look in certain pubs,and i found him in the pitts head,somewhere opposite the Odeon, as it was then called.
I lived in Stoke Heath, and it was 1 and halfpenny by bus from the council house to valley road, but if we walked to gosford green it was only a 1d.
I left coventry just as they were completing the ring road,I have looked at various sites and i,m astonished at the destruction that has been done in the name of progress.
All the history around the Gosford - Ford st area that came with Singer,Coventry Victor, Lea francis, Climax, Sturmy archer, BTH etc, all swept away, and for what?. All of these factories were still standing after the war, but none ,as far as i know are there now.
regards Tom

Hello Tom

The Pitts Head is still standing (amazing that some buildings still do!) and it is now known as the Gosford Arms. It has recently been refurbished so probably looks very similar (if not better) to the last time you saw it. There has also been planning permission granted to add an extension at the back (for restaurant use) which should help ensure its economic survival.

Reading comments such as yours always upset me to a degree; it makes me realise how great the city once was and how sad it is that so much was destroyed. My grandmother grew up in the Lower Ford Street area so she, like you, has many fond memories.

[Rheimsway]

Hi Stig, So thats where it is....I wasn,t sure if it was, i had convinced myself it must have been where the newer building is. The doorway coming down the street is just as i remembered it to be, as i think as you went up the steps, you turned left into the bar.
I can remember the barracks and rex markets before they were replaced with the new retail market. When we were kids, we were real proud of the precincts and broadgate, as it made us the envy of the rest of the country.Alas they have destroyed the layout of broadgate now and it started by closing hertford street. Its just become a dead end and lifeless.And why did they ever remove lady godiva?.
Thats what happens when the new think they know better than the old planners.
I look at the photos of Earl Street, Jordan well, and gosford st, they are horrendous.. I get the feeling now that the cathedral is part of the new uni. The ring road was designed to keep traffic out of the city, but instead it killed the city.