h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi Elentari.

I'm sub-editing your entry on Coventry Cathedral at A87773944.

I just want to check something with you. When Coventry became the seat of the diocese in 1102, the church of St Mary became a cathedral.

Later, the parish church of St Michael 'was built here'. Is this on the same site as the original church of St Mary?

So when in 1918 the church of St Michael was made a cathedral, it was the 2nd cathedral on this site?

G

Hi Gnomon

I had deliberately left it a little vague because the information I have found is not completely clear, but I *think* it is the same site, or near as damn it, anyway.

OK, I've researched it. St Mary's was slightly bigger than the current modern cathedral, about twice the size of old St Michael's. It ran east to west. Its eastern end was at the west side of the current modern cathedral. You can still see some parts of it further west in a sort of garden.

I'll think of some way of rewriting it to make it clear there were three cathedrals.

http://lovelyoldtree.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/cathedral-plan-cropt.jpg

OK, I've rewritten it slightly to take that information into account. See are you happy with it.

Here's the Priory Garden which is the ruin of the original cathedral:

https://maps.google.com/?ll=52.408755,-1.508906&spn=0.000244,0.00071&t=h&z=21&layer=c&cbll=52.40875,-1.508906&panoid=eF-dQ8Rq6l_Dq49HPOpQZA&cbp=12,16.03,,0,10.28

Try again:

http://maps.google.com/?ll=52.408755,-1.508906&spn=0.000244,0.00071&t=h&z=21&layer=c&cbll=52.40875,-1.508906&panoid=eF-dQ8Rq6l_Dq49HPOpQZA&cbp=12,16.03,,0,10.28

I'm puzzled by the government of Jordan giving a rock from Bethlehem as a present - Bethlehem is not in Jordan.

Another thing - you say that after the dissolution of the monasteries, the building fell into disrepair. As far as I can make out, it was the old Priory Cathedral of St Mary that fell into disuse and disrepair at this time, not the Church of St Michael.

I've finished all the changes I think this entry needs, so can you please read through it and see are you happy with it?

I have no idea where you found all that information, but well done! That's much clearer and better. Sorry it was needed!

I'm completely happy with that, thank you.