Bayley Lane is a historic street in the centre of Coventry and is thought to follow the line of the outer ditch or bailey of the former

Coventry Castle __NOTOC__ Coventry Castle () was a motte and bailey castle in the city of Coventry, England. It was demolished in the late 12th century and St Mary's Guildhall was built on part of the site. History Construction It was built in the early 12t ...

, founded by the

Earls of Chester The Earldom of Chester was one of the most powerful earldoms in medieval England, extending principally over the counties of Cheshire and Flintshire. Since 1301 the title has generally been granted to heirs apparent to the English throne, and ...

between 1088 and 1147.Stephens, pp. 24–33 The economic stagnation of the city between the dissolution of the monasteries in 1540s, and the 19th century has enabled several medieval buildings and underground remains to survive. During extension work on Herbert Art Gallery and Museum (completed in 2008), excavations by Birmingham Archaeology found evidence of occupation in Bayley Lane from as early as the 12th century, and also stone foundations of numerous 14th-century buildings. The excavation also uncovered numerous 19th-century buildings, some of which had been built on the medieval foundations. These included a 14th-century cellar which is now incorporated into the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum. A rare medieval chess piece, thought to be the first of its kind in the region was also unearthed.

Buildings

Many historic properties remain on Bayley Lane. * 38–39 Bayley Lane: 38–39 is one of a row of buildings on Bayley Lane destroyed during the

Coventry Blitz The Coventry Blitz ( blitz: from the German word ''Blitzkrieg'' meaning "lightning war" ) or Coventration of the city was a series of bombing raids that took place on the British city of Coventry. The city was bombed many times during the Sec ...

. The cellar is all that remains and is accessible from Herbert Art Gallery and Museum. *

Drapers' Hall The Worshipful Company of Drapers is one of the 110 livery companies of the City of London. It has the formal name The Master and Wardens and Brethren and Sisters of the Guild or Fraternity of the Blessed Mary the Virgin of the Mystery of Dr ...

: Opened in 1832, the Hall represents at least the third belonging to the Drapers Company on Bayley Lane, the area having been a nucleus of activity for drapers since the late 14th century. * St Mary's Guildhall: The current St Mary's Guildhall occupies the same site as the first hall constructed for the Guild of St Mary soon after its 1340 foundation.Stephens, pp. 141–146 The buildings are mostly 14th–15th century; the hall was most likely rebuilt when the Guild of St Mary was taken over by the Trinity Guild. * 22 Bayley Lane: The only surviving timber-framed property on Bayley Lane, no. 22 is an early 16th-century house with carved

buttresses A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall. Buttresses are fairly common on more ancient buildings, as a means of providing support to act against the lateral (si ...

, carved barge-boards, and traceried panels. Other decorative work of this age and quality is now only to be found at Bond's Hospital and Ford's Hospital.Stephens, pp. 146–150 * Golden Cross Inn: The Golden Cross * County Hall: Standing on the corner of Bayley Lane and Cuckoo Lane, County Hall housed Coventry's courts when it opened in 1783.

References

Bibliography

*{{cite book , title=A History of the County of Warwick: Volume 8: The City of Coventry and Borough of Warwick , editor=W.B. Stephens , year=1969 History of Coventry Roads in Coventry

Buildings

See also

References

Bibliography