Old Grammar School

Top: c.1901 Bottom: 24 Jul 2011

Top: c.1905 Bottom: 16 May 2010

Helen I can't find the thread we were discussing this but this map which is apparently from an 1871 book by Thomas Sharp shows that "Ancient Pillar"

We discussed it a couple of times but the main discussion was here.

I have now ascertained that the school was started in 1545 and based at the Whitefriars church but in 1558 moved, converting an existing religious hospital/hospice on the corner of Silver Street but building the library wasn't started until 1601. The earliest maps we know about of the area are those by John Speed. I only know them as being dated at 1610 but it's possibly that at least one was plotted out before the library was established. The map below looks like the older of the two versions that I've seen. There is a notable gap between the Grammar School and rest of the Burges, which has bothered me since I first saw it. There is some evidence to date the commencement of the wider map project to about 1598, which was certainly early enough to capture the gap. Through his family and his early career he had connections to the Drapers and Taylors Guilds that might have brought him or an assistant to Coventry. Theatre of Great Britaine. Published in 1610, Speed used Saxton's maps as templates for his own work. This often consisted of re-engraving place names and adding further information to the maps originally designed by Saxton.

This picture is from Coventry Past and Passing 1927, it says from an old print. The Index says "This print shows the tower and south-west gable end which faces Bishop Street. In 1794 it was "cut back" and the southern galleried portion was entirely removed for the formation of Hales Street, 1848. The eastern window, although much decayed, has not been disturbed, but much of the original massive oak desk and stall work has been sawn up and widely distributed. Probably the oldest building in the City, it was founded as St. John's Hospital in 1150. At the Dissolution it was granted to John Hales, who converted it into a grammar school transferred from his other property, The White Friars Monastery." I don't know if we have had it before but I think it shows a completely different view of how Bishop Street looked at that time. Could there have been pillars similar to the ones on the left the other side of the building?

This is another picture from the same book, Master's Lodgings (Old Grammar School). These were situated in the school yard or garden until 1890 and were used as classrooms for the first and second Forms. Before their destruction they were occupied by a furniture remover. Opposite to them, in front of the beautiful eastern window, was a large pear tree. This, however, was cut down because its fruit attracted stones to the window.

Anne Ben has that one included on CD - adding here just for the full screen joy!

From the same book Neil, this must be the corner of Silver Street

All good stuff The masters' house was at the back and in those photos the back of the school was to the left, at right angles. Anne's drawing of the end of Silver Street was after they'd trimmed the tower and the front of the school. Whether they pushed it back to the gate or even further I don't know. I also don't know how much they pushed back the Burges. See map.