Summary

The remains of the chapter house were excavated as part of the Phoenix Initiative (1999-2003), dating it to the 13th century. It is thought that it was entirely rebuilt during the first half of the 14th century. Fragments of a wall painting depicting the Apocalypse, dating to c.1360-70 were found on two springer stones. Two burials were also discovered underneath the floor of the chapter house.

Monument Type(s):

• PRIORY (Earlier Medieval to Later Medieval - 1101 AD to 1539 AD)
• CHAPTER HOUSE (Earlier Medieval to Later Medieval - 1102 AD to 1539 AD)
• BURIAL (Earlier Medieval to Later Medieval - 1280 AD to 1410 AD)
• WALL PAINTING (Designed, Later Medieval - 1360 AD to 1370 AD (between))

Protected Status

• Conservation Area: Hill Top Conservation Area

Full description

1> The chapter house was located on the east side of the cloister with its doorway (1.7m wide) lying slightly north of centre in relation to the alley. The internal dimensions of the building at the Dissolution measured 8m x c22m. The eastern end of the chapter house was apsidal of part octaganol form. The majority of the excavated material from the building derives from the first half of the 14th century when it appears to have been entirely re-built. The excavations revealed almost the entire length of the north wall of the chapter house. Heavily robbed in its interior, the line of its north wall survived to a great depth as it retained the third terrace of the hillside. As such, it also formed the south interior wall of a range of undercrofts which occupied the area to the north of the chapter house. Architectural features, including the responds (T487-489) built into the wall at undercroft level, have been dated to the 13th century. This suggests the presence of a contemporary upstanding chapter house north wall, predating the re-build by over half a century…Many of the important architectural fragments from the chapter house were discovered at the foot of its north wall lying where they had been thrown into the undercroft. The most significant of these were two springer stones from the blind arcade, one flanked by wall plates and the other with only its right-hand plate surviving. The plates were painted with finely executed polychrome designs depicting scenes of the Apocalypse from the Book of Revelations. The painting has been dated to the period c1360-70…Over half the chapter house's internal area was excavated and two graves were discovered. The first, a stone-lined grave was found just inside the west door…Interred within was a well-preserved skeleton of a c.1.69m tall mature adult male…Radiocarbon analysis dates the burial to the period 1280-1410 AD…The second grave was indicated by the discovery of a complete but fractured Purbeck marble grave slab measuring 1m x 2.4m. It was located towards the east end of the building set into the mortar floor close to the south wall. The slab was decorated with a central cross and had an inscription around its border…The slab would appear to be a fairly standard product of the London marblers of the late 13th/early 14th century…

<1> Coventry City Council, 2003, The Archaeology of the Medieval Cathedral and Priory of St Mary, Coventry, p.32-35 (--MONOGRAPH). SCT1279.

Sources and Further Reading

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• ECT133 - Cathedral and Priory of St. Mary Excavations 1999-2002 (Ref: COVE62)

Related records

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.