Lady Herbert's Garden is a garden in

Coventry Coventry ( or rarely ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands county, in England, on the River Sherbourne. Coventry had been a large settlement for centurie ...

city centre, named as a memorial to Alfred Herbert's second wife Florence. Construction and initial laying out began in 1930 and the last section was completed in 1939. It is built around several sections of the remains of Coventry city walls, including Swanswell and Cook Street Gates, and bordered by Chantry Place. The site was the former Chantry Orchard. Between 1816 and 1930, the area had become a slum, before being cleared to create the gardens.

History

The gardens were designed by Albert Herbert, cousin of the industrialist and commissioner of them Alfred Herbert. The east garden was opened to the public on 12 April 1931 and a west garden was added from 1935 to 1938. From 1930 to 1947 the gardens were overseen by Miss Denision, who was succeeded by Miss Hoffa who left in 1956. Following Herbert's death in 1957 the trustees faced financial difficulties and in 1974, ownership was transferred to

Coventry City Council Coventry City Council is the Local government in England, local authority for the city of Coventry in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. Coventry has had a council from medieval times, which has been reformed on numerous occasi ...

Lady Herbert's homes

Commonly known as Lady Herbert's homes, these two blocks of almshouses were built in 1935 and 1937. They were both damaged during the

Coventry Blitz The Coventry Blitz ( blitz: from the German word ''Blitzkrieg'' meaning "lightning war" ) was bombing that took place on the British city of Coventry. The city was bombed many times during the Second World War by the German Air Force (''Luftw ...

and were rebuilt. The homes are currently managed by a charitable trust.

References

{{reflist Parks in Coventry