The Weaver's House

Tag: priory visitor centre

  • June brings tulips, lilies, roses… and a lot going on!

    June brings tulips, lilies, roses… and a lot going on!

    It’s looking very busy here at The Weaver’s House this June! It all starts this Saturday, 16 June, with a free Open Day starting at 11am. Pop in and discover our story which began in medieval times. Enjoy tea and cake in our garden, find out about the history of weaving and talk to our knowledgeable guides. We’re open until 4, but we recommend arriving by 3.30pm at the latest for a look round. This Saturday is also a chance to enjoy some other events that are practically on our doorstep, so make a day of it and enjoy some different aspects of Coventry’s history. This year’s Civic Day celebrates post-war architecture (taking place at the Priory Visitor Centre) it’s Open Day at Charterhouse, start of Positive Images and the absolutely last chance to see the CET Building in use as a pop-up exhibition space. Yes, that’s all this Saturday!

    spinners at work in the garden

    Further into June, we are delighted to be taking part in the annual Warwickshire Open Studios. Our regular resident crafters The Weavers’ Workshop will be offering drop in sessions as part of the Coventry Arts Trail on Monday 18, Thursday 21, Monday 25 and Thursday 28 June from 10am until midday. Try a simple make and take activity, see the members current weaving projects and have a look around the house and garden.

    blue woven pendant with button and embroidery detail
    Pendant by Debbie

    Also part of Warwickshire Open Studios, the War & Pieced Patchwork Exhibition takes place on Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 June 2018 from 11am until 4pm at The Weaver’s House. This is an exhibition of thought-provoking military and civilian patchwork quilts and their social history, from the Mid Victorian period to the 1980s, collected and restored by Jane and Peterson Cobbett.

    Lady holding a basket of colourful yarn
    Jane Cobbett at our Heritage Crafts Day

    So, a busy month here, and by the time those events are done it will have also been midsummer and half way through the year! There’s still plenty more to come with our next Open Day celebrating the fun of Tudor Games and our August Open Day exploring the family history of the house and terrace.

  • Team Weaver’s House explore more Coventry heritage

    Team Weaver’s House explore more Coventry heritage

    Last weekend saw a bumper day in terms of local historical interest, and as it wasn’t one of our own Open Days, we got out and about to enjoy some of Coventry’s other heritage gems. Like The Weaver’s House, volunteers have played a huge role in these sites.

    First up was the CET Building.

    The former HQ of Coventry Telegraph (the E bit comes from when it had Evening in the title) this fifties building was a labyrinthine delight of glossy mid-century detailing and industrial post-apocalyptic neglect.

    It’s been empty for over ten years but now there are plans to restore it as a fifties styled boutique hotel. Before that, volunteers have turned it into a temporary gallery space with the option to tour the rest of the building including the massive press in the basement.

    Here are a few pictures from our explorations:

    Upstairs, we got a great view of the Belgrade Theatre, another iconic 50s building.

    the theatre opposite and plaza

    The tour was self-guided, so we were able to go at our own pace and enjoy all the details. We looked around the upstairs offices with lots of original features.

     

    trees in a small urban area
    A glimpse of the hidden garden area in the middle of the building, until recently totally overgrown.

    There was a lot to see across this huge site – offices, newsroom, social spaces and even an onsite flat. Once through this area it was downstairs into the corridors of the basement where everything starts to look more industrial and a bit creepy. With workplaces looking like they had just been left it had the feel of being suddenly abandoned like the plot of so many horror movies… especially in the cavernous area of the printing press itself.

     

    set of cogs and gears
    Part of the machinery in the basement

    Once through the basement the tour leads back to the lobby and exhibition space and free coffee.

    Be aware that when visiting much of the building is not currently accessible as the lifts aren’t functional and some areas can only be accessed by stairs.

    There are many more photos available on the Facebook page where you can also follow the latest updates to the restoration as well as exhibition and events info. A really fascinating insight into part of Coventry’s recent history – take the opportunity to visit whilst it’s available…

    Next up was the Priory Visitor Centre.

    This has been closed for over a year and this was its official opening ceremony as a social enterprise. A lot of hard work has gone into reopening the building and it was time to celebrate!

    an ivy covered wall and sign for the centre

    Right in the heart of the city centre and directly adjacent to the other two Cathedrals, the Priory is a little oasis of calm.

    the courtyard outside the centre

    As part of the reopening celebrations, special guests included Lady Godiva and the ‘Deep Fat Friar’ who can usually be found guiding people around the city wall and something we’re hoping to join another week!

    It was great to see the centre open again and we were impressed with the knowledge and enthusiasm of the volunteers.

    The Undercroft area which famously featured on Time Team is a truly fascinating insight into Coventry’s history and you can find out how to get to see this area as well as more about the project on the Facebook page.

    From then, we went up to the re-enactment at Charterhouse – but we’ll save that for another post!

  • Much more in May!

    Much more in May!

    Our Open Day is over for this month, but there is much more to enjoy in and around Coventry with lots of exciting heritage events coming up.

    Friday 19 May, Compton Verney screen The Wicker Man. Maybe we can get one of our Crafts Day guests to make one for us?
    Saturday 20 May, Museums at Night at the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum.  Time for some Playing Up!

    The next weekend sees a really exciting time for heritage in Coventry:
    Saturday 27 May, Opening Day at the CET Building. First chance for a look around this new pop-up art space in the old newspaper building.
    Saturday 27 May, Grand Reopening at Priory Visitor Centre. See the culmination of a year of hard work to reopen the centre.
    Saturday 27 May, Re-enactment Day at Charterhouse. Step back to the 15th century in the setting of this beautiful medieval site.
    The three above events are close enough to visit all of them on the same day!

    This event is actually in June but it’s a once a year opportunity to visit Maxstoke Castle. And of course we’ll be back with our Open Day in June too!

     

    Image: Flickr/Creative Commons

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