Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Caucasus - Geghard Monastery, Armenia
Armenia • 15 days, 14 nights
Caucasus Road Trip: Azerbaijan, Georgia & Armenia
from
Taktsang Lhakhang, also known as the “Tiger’s Nest”.
Bhutan • 11 days, 10 nights
Festivals & Temples of Bhutan
from
View all trips
Loading...
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The sign declares this the number-one gumbo shop in town.
Gumbo Hut Shioya
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom England Coventry St. Mary's Guildhall

St. Mary's Guildhall

Built in the 1300s, this magnificent building that hosted England's kings and queens transports you to the Middle Ages.

Coventry, England

Added By
Alan Newman
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Old Council Chamber in the guildhall.   Rock Drum
A suit of armor gazes toward the famous 15th-century tapestry.   Tryphosa Ho/Alamy
King’s window, St. Mary’s Guildhall.   Jules & Jenny
  Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Carving in one of the ante rooms   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Belgian refugee memorial in the entrance hall.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Fire Service memorial   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
St Mary’s Guildhall: Coat of arms of Coventry   Jaszmina Szendrey / Atlas Obscura User
St Mary’s Guildhall: Great Hall   Jaszmina Szendrey / Atlas Obscura User
St. Mary’s Guildhall: ‘Glorification of the Virgin’ tapestry   Jaszmina Szendrey / Atlas Obscura User
Ceiling and the famous tapestry.   mintchocicecream
St. Mary’s Guildhall.   Snowmanradio
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

This magnificent medieval guildhall houses an impressive stash of historic treasures like paintings, stained glass windows, and centuries-old armor. Famous figures have wined, dined, and been imprisoned within its walls.

The building started its life as part of the now largely demolished Coventry Castle. It was built around 1340 and was gradually extended as the various merchant guilds of Coventry amalgamated and adopted the building as their administrative and ceremonial headquarters. 

The guildhall was the main stronghold of Henry VI's court during the Wars of the Roses. It still guards a treasured relic from this era. A famous tapestry believed to depict Henry VI and Margaret of Anjou, installed in 1499, still hangs in its original location.

King Henry VI wasn’t the only royal to set foot inside. In 1570, following a Catholic rebellion in the north of England, Queen Elizabeth ordered Mary Queen of Scots, already a prisoner in Staffordshire, to be moved to the walled city of Coventry. Mary spent only one night in St. Mary's Guildhall, but was detained at other places in the city for several months.

Famous voluntary visitors spent time within its historic walls, too. King James II was said to have been so well entertained during his time at the guildhall that the banqueting table collapsed under the weight of all the food. Dick Whittington, three times Lord Mayor of London, also stopped by.

The guildhall is open for self-guided tours of the great hall, the impressive medieval kitchen, and a number of anterooms. There’s also a cafe located in the guildhall’s undercroft.

Related Tags

Medieval Unique Restaurants & Bars Restaurants Mary Queen Of Scots

Know Before You Go

Admission to the guildhall is £10.80 for adults. Opening times and information about themed displays are shown on the website. 

There is a lift from the courtyard to the great hall, which contains the tapestry. Due to the historical nature of the building, access to the upper rooms is only via a spiral staircase. 

The best parking is next to the Pool Meadow bus station.Coventry railway station is a 20-minute walk or you can get a bus to Pool Meadow. As you enter look out for two reminders of Coventry's 20th century history. One is a plaque erected in 1918 by the Belgian refugees of WWI in thanks to the hospitality of the people of Coventry who welcomed them. Another is the Memorial to the 50-plus firemen killed in the Coventry Blitz in WWII. Of these most were killed in one night.

Community Contributors

Added By

Dr Alan P Newman

Edited By

hrnick, jooniur, Jaszmina Szendrey, Kerry Wolfe

  • hrnick
  • jooniur
  • Jaszmina Szendrey
  • Kerry Wolfe

Published

April 13, 2018

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.stmarysguildhall.co.uk/homepage/8/history
St. Mary's Guildhall
22-23 Bayley Ln
Coventry, England, CV1 5RJ
United Kingdom
52.407699, -1.507467
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Coventry Cathedral Ruins

Coventry, England

miles away

'Coventry Doom'

Coventry, England

miles away

Ruins of St. Mary's Priory Cathedral

Coventry, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Coventry

Coventry

England

Places 12

Nearby Places

Coventry Cathedral Ruins

Coventry, England

miles away

'Coventry Doom'

Coventry, England

miles away

Ruins of St. Mary's Priory Cathedral

Coventry, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Coventry

Coventry

England

Places 12

Related Places

  • Pärnu, Estonia

    Seegi Maja Restaurant

    This atmospheric spot in Pärnu's historic old town is located in a 17th-century almshouse.

  • The Sign for the Old Wellington, with the Old Wellington itself in the background on the left.

    Manchester, England

    The Shambles

    Two of Manchester’s oldest buildings were moved twice.

  • These meat substitutes come close to the real thing.

    Queens, New York

    Bodhi Village

    Get to know the plant-based fare of Chinese Buddhist monks.

  • Kurdish cuisine shares some dishes, like meat kebabs, with other Middle Eastern cuisines.

    Tokyo, Japan

    Mesopotamia

    The only Kurdish restaurant in Japan invites you to learn and feast.

  • Fried, meat-filled khuushuur pastries with two kinds of chilled salad.

    Morton Grove, Illinois

    Mazalae Mongolian Restaurant

    Just outside Chicago, one of the few traditional Mongolian restaurants in the U.S. serves a misunderstood cuisine.

  • The retro interior of the restaurant.

    West Hollywood, California

    Formosa Cafe

    Located close to a movie studio lot, this restaurant has a long history of star-studded patronage.

  • Atlanta, Georgia

    The Consulate

    No passport is required to eat around the world at this elegant restaurant.

  • Seattle, Washington

    Tai Tung

    The city's oldest Chinese restaurant offers local history and seriously good food.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.