Christ Church / Greyfriars

Hi and yes, you are right on a couple of counts, Greyfriars not Whitefriars for one. The archaeologist suggested that the brick was bolstering older constructions. He also said the column that we see was probably used to span the brickwork for strengthening it. A sort of happy find for a needed solution. Do you have any ideas about the white stone walls? It certainly looks a busy area with the different materials and could pose a puzzle to synchronize the placement of the same. I asked about the teeth marks in the column and he said they were already there. They hadn't damaged the column because present codes of practice do not allow buckets with teeth to be used. Thank you for the feedback.

For Christchurch the spire was at the east end but Greyfriars the spire was in the middle. Looking at the plot, it can't be part of Christchurch in situ because it's at the wrong end of the spire. This image is almost at right angles to the map. Off the south side were cloisters and other monastery buildings and these were demolished and stayed undisturbed until much more recently they were built over with the National School, housing an iron and brass foundry, and even a veterinary's infirmary. If you can indicate on the map where you were looking I could have a stab at matching the ruins to the old maps.

Hello Helen, does this image help? They are excavating right in front of Central Hall entrance in New Union Street. The new swimming pool complex is to the immediate right. If you still need a map I'll post one.

Ah, so it is within the footprint of both Greyfriars and Christchurch? The nave of Greyfriars and Christchurch were supposed to be similar except Christchurch's nave went all the way to the end. Whereas Greyfriars nipped in as you can see on the diagram.

Brill, thank you Helen. An overlay would be interesting. But here's the best I can do with a map on a mobile.

I think the column base is from Christ Church. It fits in with the Gothic Revival style (old where you can see it - modern where you can't). I assume the "U" shaped channel was part of some warm air underfloor heating system. I took a photo from the opposite (spire) side of the excavation and there is some stonework which looks much older. Perhaps this was part of Greyfriars? Peter.

Christ Church had a slight kink inward at the west end. Were you anywhere near the red pointer on Old Maps? Location of Christ Church

Hi Helen, That is almost the right place, but I think I was more in the ruins (in front of the spire) rather than in front of the Methodist Central Hall. I'll double check tomorrow as I didn't look behind me! Peter.

The location is the pointy end of the red things, not the bullseye.

Hi, here's today's offering. The top image of the white stone wall needs to be rotated 90 degrees clockwise. Then, hopefully it can be identified on the second image.

I think it's safe to say that the dogleg is part of Christ Church. The mishmash of brick and stone needs the experts to disentangle. Most of it is proably bits of floor support. I only have an exterior plan of Christchurch and have no idea exactly where the pillars and interior walls were. Thanks Heathite and PeterB for keeping us up to date.

That's a large footprint in front of the spire. Credit 1946 Britain from Above.

My youngest was at The Wave today, the new pool complex and took the opportunity to look at this aspect (southern) briefly which was not always previously open to inspection -

The recovered stone with the digger bucket teeth marks.

Once Greyfriars was noted for the rich beauty of its ecclesiastic buildings, in Coventry. But then a monk spent twelve months on probation in ordinary clothes, working at what was asked of him without pay. Then if he proved his worthiness, then standing in only underpants surrounded by chanting fathers in a circle around him he would receive his robes. Mostly the twelve months would be boring, all emotion diverted to the channels of religion, hard and austere. The monastery, most had extraordinary privileges the monks exempt from military service, and from all taxation including any imports or export taxation on goods, or death duties. Often the oldest buildings being the most important. The holy girdle near the gate, so was the porters lodge that sold necessities.