Coventry Castle

Map showing the location of Coventry Castle within the West Midlands.

Coventry Castle was a motte and bailey castle in the city of Coventry, England (grid reference SP336788).^[1]

It was built in the 11th century by Ranulf Meschines, Earl of Chester, probably out of wood initially. Its first known use was during The Anarchy when Robert Marmion, a supporter of King Stephen, expelled the monks from the adjacent priory of Saint Mary and converted it into a fortress from which he waged a battle against the Earl. Marmion perished in the battle.

Coventry Castle was first mentioned in 1147, when those loyal to the king retreated to its defences during a siege by Ranulf de Gernon, 4th Earl of Chester. After the siege was lifted, King Stephen destroyed the castle, however it was probably later repaired as it was described as a viable fortification in 1182.^[1]

Despite Coventry's position at one of the most important road intersections in England, a castle was built there relatively late on.^[2]

Today, the site is in the city centre and part of the castle still exists as the part of St Mary's Guildhall called Caesar's Tower. The Cathedral Lanes Shopping Centre was constructed over part of the castle.^[3]

See also

• Warwick Castle
• Castles in Great Britain and Ireland
• List of castles in England

References

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b} "Coventry Castle". Pastscape.org.uk. http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=869495. Retrieved 2008-01-15. 
2. ^ Cathcart King (1983), p. xxii.
3. ^ Coventry Castle, The Coventry Pages, http://www.thecoventrypages.net/section.asp?catid=97, retrieved 2009-10-08 

Bibliography

• Cathcart King, David J. (1983), Catellarium Anglicanum: An Index and Bibliography of the Castles in England, Wales and the Islands. Volume I: Anglesey–Montgomery, Kraus International Publications 

Further reading

• Fry, Plantagenet Somerset, The David & Charles Book of Castles, David & Charles, 1980. ISBN 0-7153-7976-3

External links

• Coventry Castle^{[dead link]}

Coordinates: 52°24′22″N 1°30′27″W / 52.40618°N 1.50752°W / 52.40618; -1.50752