Coventry: A City of Decorative Arts – FULLY BOOKED
Coventry: A City of Decorative Arts
Saturday 19 September 2026
Start time/place: 10:45am/Belgrade Square, Corporation St, CV1 1GS
Finish time/place: approx. 4:45pm/The Telegraph Hotel, 157 Corporation St, CV1 1 GU
A joint C20 Society/Decorative Arts Society tour of Coventry. We will look at how decorative and public art was an important element of town planning and new architecture in the context of the post-WW2 redevelopment of central Coventry. The day will include a guided walk through the UK’s first pedestrian shopping area to understand how Coventry applied the then-new science of town planning.
We will visit some important buildings including the Grade II listed Belgrade Theatre (Arthur Ling, 1958), the former Coventry Telegraph office (1960, L. A. Culliford and Partners) and Grade II listed former Locarno Ballroom (1960, City Architect with Kett & Neve), now the Library. A highlight of the day will be a guided tour of Coventry Cathedral’s (1962, Basil Spence) architecture and important artworks.
Our guide for the architecture walk will be Katriona Byrne, Senior Lecturer in Conservation of the Historic Environment at Birmingham City University (BCU). She will be supported by Geraldine Hammerseley, who will cover the public art.
There will be stops for lunch and post-event drinks at The Telegraph hotel (not included in the cost).
Only 12 tickets available.
Single price £45
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The Twentieth Century Society is an IHBC (Institute of Historic Building conservation) recognised CPD provider and a registered charity, no 1110244.
Image: Coventry's Lady Godiva and Peeping Tom (1953, Trevor Tennant). The workings of the horse were damaged in the excitement of Coventry winning the F.A. Cup in 1987, but has been fixed since. Photo by John East.