Summary

The site of Spon or Bablake Gate, a medieval gatehouse built as part of the city defensive circuit in about 1391. The gate was demolished in 1770.

Monument Type(s):

• GATEHOUSE (Later Medieval to 18th Century - 1391 AD to 1770 AD)
• TOWN DEFENCES (Later Medieval to 18th Century - 1391 AD to 1770 AD)

Protected Status

• Conservation Area: Spon Street Conservation Area

Full description

1> Spon Gate (site).
2> Erected c1391, demolished 1770. This gate stood immediately south of Bablake (St. John's) Church, and was sometimes called the West Gate of the city. In 1469, one Elipane was beheaded and his head set on a pole over this gate; and in 1495 Sir Henry Mumford (with Sir Robert Mallorie) was executed for high treason and his head, too, was displayed here…The gate was taken down in 1770 and 1771, and the materials were used 'in the navigation and building of the bridge at Spon End'. Queen Elizabeth left the city by this gate in 1565, after staying two nights here. Prisoners taken in the Battle of Preston Pans in 1648 were lodged in this gate...
3> Depicted.
4> Spon Gate, or Bablake Gate, built soon after 1391 with stone from Cheylesmore
Park, and was in Spon St, at that time main Holyhead Rd. Massive structure,
flanked by 2 embattled polygonal towers. On its inner face, lower storey
reached nearly as far as W wall of St John's Church. Demolished 1771, and some
of stone is reputed to have been used in construction of Spon Bridge.
5> Truncated walls and sandstone flagged floor uncovered, cleaned and recorded
before being sealed with concrete. Structures are interpreted as being
building attached to the nearby Spon Gate and town wall. 3 mason marks
recorded etc.
6> On 17-18 August 1565 Queen Elizabeth I watched plays by the Smiths, Drapers and Tanners at Spon Gate, through which she departed when she left on 19th August on her way to Kenilworth.

The site of Spon Gate is now named Fleet Street, and some parts of the Gate are to be seen on the Spon Street side of Bablake Church.

<1> 1961, OS 1:2500, - (-MAP). SCT813.

<2> Nowell C, 1924, Some Account of the Gates, Towers, and Wall of the City of Coventry, - (--MONOGRAPH). SCT650.

<3> Bradford, Samuel, 1748, A Plan of the City of Coventry, - (-MAP). SCT805.

<4> Pugh, R. B. (ed), 1969, Victoria County History: A History of the County of Warwickshire - Volume VIII, 8: 22-3 (--VOLUME). SCT683.

<5> Rylatt M; Soden I, 1990, Spon St/Corporation St, 33; 95 (--ARTICLE). SCT554.

<6> Rylatt, M. and Montes, M., 1998, A Harvest of History: The Life and Work of J.B.Shelton MBE, p.34-5 (TEXT). SCT1616.

Sources and Further Reading

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• ECT320 - Spon Street/Corporation Street (Ref: COVE255)
• ECT53 - Spon End
• ECT680 - Conservation Management Plan Condition Survey for Medieval Defences

Related records

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