The St Mary’s Guildhall colouring book is now out! The City of Coventry Freemen’s Guild has done it again with its winning formula – ‘a colouring Book’ for all age groups! This is a great follow up to their first colouring book ‘Coventry’s Medieval Story’.
This time they have focused on just one important building in the city. They tell the amazing story of St. Mary’s Guildhall. The Hall has played host to many Kings and Queens, some of whom wined and dined at large banquettes, entertained by William Shakespeare and his Kings Players.
The book covers the life of the Guildhall from Medieval times right through to its involvement with the English Civil War. One of the jewels of Coventry, it is said to be the finest Medieval Guildhall in the country. For me the best part is the drawing of the great tapestry woven around 1495, by a team of five Flemish weavers working for over four years using a single loom. Jonathon Foyle tells us that it the oldest medieval tapestry that is still in the location it was created for. It measures 30 feet (9.14m) wide and 10 feet (3.05m) high so the drawing has to be over four pages, which fold out to make a sensational image that is just waiting to be coloured in.
This fascinating book costs only £5 with proceeds going to local charities supported by the City of Coventry Freemen’s Guild. You can get a copy from the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum, the Coventry Transport Museum, the Priory Visitor Centre and St. Mary’s Guildhall during the season that it is open. Unfortunately the Guildhall is closed for the winter, which is a bit ironic considering the book is promoting its wonders! – hopefully this will change as we get closer to UK City of Culture 2021.
Paul Maddocks
Chair of the Coventry Society