Coventry Cathedral: Ruins and New Cathedral

Coventry Cathedral recommends visiting the ruins first, ideally entering via Cuckoo Lane, and then exploring the New Cathedral. Check this visitor recommendation before your trip for any operational changes.

City history in galleries and historic buildings

The Herbert’s History Gallery offers family-friendly interactive stations, films, recorded personal stories and a children’s trail. It also explores three periods of Coventry’s history in detail. The different formats offer different perspectives: you may be interested in personal accounts, films or interactive stations. The installations may change; if a particular offering matters to you, check what is currently on display in advance.

A cottage at The Weaver’s House has been restored to show how Coventry narrow-loom weaver John Croke and his family lived and worked in 1540. Charterhouse offers a different historical reference point: it is a former medieval Carthusian monastery in central Coventry and is listed as a Grade I building. Here, different scales of the city’s history meet—the way of life and work of a family as portrayed, and the history of a former monastery.

Vehicles and musical history

Coventry Transport Museum houses Thrust SSC and Thrust 2, the two fastest cars in the world. The exact display of the vehicles depends on the exhibition arrangements. If these particular cars matter to you, check in advance how they are currently displayed.

Coventry Music Museum presents Coventry’s musical heritage, from the Roman occupation through Music Hall and 1950s rock ’n’ roll to the 1960s beat scene. Coventry is also closely associated with 2 Tone music, including bands such as The Specials, The Selecter, Madness and The Beat. The city’s musical history thus offers both a broad sweep through time and a specific connection to 2 Tone music.

Parkland and canal paths

Coombe Abbey Park covers 372 acres, with gardens, parkland, woodland and a lake. The lake itself covers 90 acres. These figures refer to different areas: the total size of the park and the size of the lake within it.

The towpath along the Coventry Canal is paved within Coventry and can be used in all weather; some sections are unlit at night. Bear this limitation in mind if you are planning an evening walk.

A route description, last revised on 10 May 2024, details an 8.8 km walk from Coventry Basin to historic Hawkesbury Junction. Check the route information before your walk.

Getting there

Coventry is 10 miles (16 km) from Birmingham Airport. From Birmingham International railway station, you can reach the city by train in about 15–20 minutes; journey times may vary. The distance refers to the airport, while the train journey time refers to the trip from Birmingham International railway station to Coventry.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Meriden, Bickenhill, Shirley, Stourbridge.

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