Spon Street Building – A 15th Century Survivor at Watch Close

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As you walk west along Spon Street in Coventry, a particularly striking timber-framed building marks the corner of Watch Close. With its sharply angled roofline, warped timbers, and distinctive medieval proportions, this structure, dating from the 15th century, is believed to be one of the oldest surviving houses in Coventry.

This is not a relocated reconstruction but a building that has remained rooted in its original plot for over 500 years, quietly witnessing the transformation of the city around it.

A Historic Tradesman’s House

According to the plaque mounted on its façade, the structure originally comprised two separate workshops, each with an upper room likely used for storage or sleeping. These workshops would have served Coventry’s bustling medieval economy, operating as part of the artisan and merchant infrastructure that once defined the Spon Street area.

The central passageway, still clearly visible, originally ran between the two units. A ladder stair would have provided access to the upper chamber, perhaps shared by both shopkeepers or craftsmen.

Its architectural authenticity is further validated by the curvature of the timber braces and the early style of its roof construction, both characteristic features of mid-15th-century vernacular design.



Architectural Features

The building’s façade is a marvellous display of medieval construction techniques, marked by:

  • Exposed oak timber framing with arched and curved braces, particularly prominent in the upper panels.

  • Render infill panels in warm earthen tones, reflecting the original wattle-and-daub techniques.

  • A jettying upper storey, modest in projection, but clearly extending over the ground level, a classic trait of late medieval urban buildings.

  • A steeply pitched tiled roof, running nearly uninterrupted from gable to gable, except for the slight asymmetry introduced by centuries of weathering and settlement.

  • Narrow mullioned windows with leaded glass panes, sitting flush within the timber framework.

  • A timber door with iron fittings and a pronounced arch, marking the entrance to what would once have been a through-passage.

The building curves gracefully with the street and ends abruptly at Watch Close, giving it a corner prominence that further enhances its visual interest.

Restoration and Recognition

This building was the first restoration project of the City’s Spon Street Town Scheme. The restoration was carried out between 1969 and 1970 with the support of Coventry Corporation and donations of materials. The effort not only saved a valuable piece of Coventry's history from deterioration but also helped initiate the broader conservation programme that would transform Spon Street into a living architectural museum.

Today, this building stands as a textbook example of medieval tradesman's housing, remarkably intact and open to visual appreciation by all who pass.

Happy travelling.

A few other heritage structures of Spon Street

Location: Spon St, Coventry CV1, UK

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