Season 7 · Episode 7 Recent

The Missing Cathedral and the Diabetic Prior - Coventry, West Midlands

Sun, Feb 13, 2000

Coventry's modern cathedral replaced the old cathedral, bombed to destruction by the Luftwaffe in World War II. A 3rd cathedral, St. Mary's, was also a Benedictine priory, demolished in the 16th century by Henry VIII. The building's destruction is explained. Tony gets a guided tour of Coventry's sister cathedral at Lichfield, by historian Richard Morris. Glass technician Colin Telford creates a stained glass panel. Meanwhile beautiful patterned floor tiles start to emerge, along with rose- and grape-shaped ceiling bosses. Phil uncovers a huge pier which would support the entire roof, though the spire would be wood rather than stone. And at the very end of day 3, they uncover a stone-lined tomb, which has to be completely excavated; so uniquely the dig extends into a 4th day. They are joined by osteoarchaeologist Margaret Cox.