Golden Cross, Coventry
Encyclopedia
The Golden Cross is one of the oldest pubs in Coventry
, West Midlands
, and one of the longest alcohol-serving venues in England
.
in 1661, the Golden Cross is dated to 1583. The structure of the building is typical of the Tudor-style of this period with three vaulted or ‘jettied’ upper floors. It has close-studding on the upper floors and moulded jetty boards. The finest feature is the 'dragon beam' visible in the ground-floor ceiling. This is a large timber beam that enables a jettied first floor to pass round a corner of the building.
Today, the Golden Cross stands much modified. A restoration in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries used timbers from the original wooden bell tower of St. Michael’s Church. An extension in 1968 substantially changed the interior of the pub, doubling the building's size by extending the gentleman’s bar, smoke room and upstairs club room.
In February 1955, the Golden Cross was listed by the now-disbanded Coventry City Guild (1914–1961) as a Grade II* listed building of special interest. There are only three buildings like it in the city centre.
After suppression of religious houses, inns such as the Golden Cross became important meeting places for city companies. Groups such as the Golden Cross Philanthropic Society, formed in 1859, held regular meetings in the club room upstairs. The society was composed of well-respected men of society and their aim was to help the poor by raising money for local hospitals, schools etc. The Coventry City Supporters club also held a meeting at the Golden Cross in 1951. The poet Philip Larkin
was a frequent visitor. Since the 1970s, the club room has been associated with live music.
The pub stands in the medieval heart of the city close to several other ancient buildings that survived the bombing raids
of the Second World War, namely the shell of the old Coventry Cathedral
of St. Michael, St. Mary’s Guild Hall, Holy Trinity Church
and the City Council House.
This Coventry Cross was erected some 40 years before the Golden Cross public house. In 1668–9 it was refurbished, painted in bright colours and smothered in gold leaf, to the point that it was painful to look at on a sunny day. It had a hexagonal base and was 57 feet high, with niches containing statues of saints and kings. It fell into decay and was demolished in 1771.
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
, West Midlands
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
, and one of the longest alcohol-serving venues in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
History of the building
First mentioned as an innINN
InterNetNews is a Usenet news server package, originally released by Rich Salz in 1991, and presented at the Summer 1992 USENIX conference in San Antonio, Texas...
in 1661, the Golden Cross is dated to 1583. The structure of the building is typical of the Tudor-style of this period with three vaulted or ‘jettied’ upper floors. It has close-studding on the upper floors and moulded jetty boards. The finest feature is the 'dragon beam' visible in the ground-floor ceiling. This is a large timber beam that enables a jettied first floor to pass round a corner of the building.
Today, the Golden Cross stands much modified. A restoration in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries used timbers from the original wooden bell tower of St. Michael’s Church. An extension in 1968 substantially changed the interior of the pub, doubling the building's size by extending the gentleman’s bar, smoke room and upstairs club room.
In February 1955, the Golden Cross was listed by the now-disbanded Coventry City Guild (1914–1961) as a Grade II* listed building of special interest. There are only three buildings like it in the city centre.
After suppression of religious houses, inns such as the Golden Cross became important meeting places for city companies. Groups such as the Golden Cross Philanthropic Society, formed in 1859, held regular meetings in the club room upstairs. The society was composed of well-respected men of society and their aim was to help the poor by raising money for local hospitals, schools etc. The Coventry City Supporters club also held a meeting at the Golden Cross in 1951. The poet Philip Larkin
Philip Larkin
Philip Arthur Larkin, CH, CBE, FRSL is widely regarded as one of the great English poets of the latter half of the twentieth century...
was a frequent visitor. Since the 1970s, the club room has been associated with live music.
The pub stands in the medieval heart of the city close to several other ancient buildings that survived the bombing raids
Coventry Blitz
The Coventry blitz was a series of bombing raids that took place in the English city of Coventry. The city was bombed many times during the Second World War by the German Air Force...
of the Second World War, namely the shell of the old Coventry Cathedral
Coventry Cathedral
Coventry Cathedral, also known as St Michael's Cathedral, is the seat of the Bishop of Coventry and the Diocese of Coventry, in Coventry, West Midlands, England. The current bishop is the Right Revd Christopher Cocksworth....
of St. Michael, St. Mary’s Guild Hall, Holy Trinity Church
Holy Trinity Church, Coventry
Holy Trinity Church, Coventry is a parish church in the Church of England located in Coventry City Centre, West Midlands, England.Above the chancel arch is probably the most impressive Doom wall-painting now remaining in an English church.-History:...
and the City Council House.
Coventry Cross
The public house is probably named after the nearby Coventry Cross. The new monument is 100 metres from the original position in Broadgate and Cross-Cheaping. In 1422 a cross was set up at the south end of Cross Cheaping; it may not have been the first on the site. This was replaced in 1543 by a magnificent monument, for which Sir William Holles had left £200 in his will.This Coventry Cross was erected some 40 years before the Golden Cross public house. In 1668–9 it was refurbished, painted in bright colours and smothered in gold leaf, to the point that it was painful to look at on a sunny day. It had a hexagonal base and was 57 feet high, with niches containing statues of saints and kings. It fell into decay and was demolished in 1771.
A timeline of the Golden Cross
- 1583 – built in typical Tudor style
- 1661 – reported as one of 137 inns/alehouses in Coventry
- 1900s – underwent extensive restoration and reconstruction
- 1955 – registered as a Grade II listed building of particular interest
- 1968 – substantially extended