Medieval relics found under site of new Coventry cafe

A closer view of the empty plot at Gosford Street where a new cafe could be built
-Credit: (Image: Sykes Planning)


A new cafe will be built in Coventry above "buried" medieval remains. It will create five jobs and go on empty land by historic pubs in the centre.

The eatery, described as a cafe/micro-brewery in one plan, will be open to at least 10pm every day. A bid to build the two-storey building on Gosford Street got the go-ahead last week, 27 September.

A council officer said changes to the original scheme had much improved the look of the planned outlet. They also pointed out archeologists had found evidence of "buried remains" in the boundary.

READ MORE:

Plans revealed for new cafe in Coventry city centre

The 5 best cafes in Coventry according to TripAdvisor

The relics are from "medieval and post-medieval periods," but "sealed beneath" made ground at the former factory site. Developers say their methods to construct the cafe will not disturb the history below.

Plans show what the new cafe on Gosford Street will look like
Plans show what the new cafe on Gosford Street will look like -Credit:Sykes Planning

Details on the findings are in a report by consultants ADAS with plans. Experts found remains of a medieval building or cellar, a sandstone well and large pit underneath the land.

All appear to have been "backfilled" many hundreds of years ago, in some cases as early as the 1100s. Evidence from the well also suggests pottery may have been made near the site, the document added.

The report calls the medieval pottery recovered from the site "rather interesting." It explains pottery was assumed to be made outside Coventry but recent evidence shows production in the 15-16th centuries inside the city wall.

Vacant land at Gosford Street in Coventry where the new cafe could go
Vacant land at Gosford Street in Coventry where the new cafe could go -Credit:Google Maps

Evidence from Gosford Street may show pottery was made "much earlier" but "maybe only on a small scale," it adds. The report recommends that further development in this area be "closely monitored" to see if more evidence of pottery-making is unveiled.

Sign up for our FREE daily newsletter here for all the latest news about Coventry.