Black Swan Terrace, Spon End, Coventry

Image: © A J Paxton Taken: 15 Sep 2019

This range of houses, 119-123 Upper Swan Street, is a rare survival of medieval Spon End. It escaped the attentions of Donald Gibson and his successor as city architect Arthur Ling, who oversaw the redevelopment of the district in the 1950s and 1960s. It also survived subsequent city council initiatives to dismantle historic timber-framed buildings (destroying much of their fabric and context in the process) and re-erect them in the preserved, heritage section of Spon Street on the other side of the ring road in the city centre. These five houses were listed Grade II* in 1991. N W Alcock described them as late medieval, probably 15th century. They belonged to Coventry Priory and later to the Mercer's Guild of Coventry. In the 19th century one house was a pub, the Black Swan, which has given its name to the row. https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1226523 At the time of listing the houses belonged to the city council and were derelict. The Spon End Building Preservation Trust was formed in 1993 to restore them and by 2007 had completed this project. https://theweavershouse.org/restoring-black-swan-terrace/ No. 121 has been restored as a weaver's house as it might have appeared c1540 and can be visited on open days. https://theweavershouse.org/ According to the Weaver's House website the houses were built in 1455 by Coventry Priory for rent. https://theweavershouse.org/history-of-black-swan-terrace/

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