The Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and some conventual buildings at the Whitefriars, Coventry

Excavations carried out in the 1960s on the site of the Carmelite Friary at Coventry, England, revealed the lost church, of unexpected size and splendour, adjoining the standing cloister E range. It was founded in 1342 by Sir John Poulteney, a pre-eminentmerchant and Draper, and Lord Mayor of London. The report includes the first detailed examination of the standing E claustral range by the Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, probably the finest medieval friary claustral range to survive in N Europe. This is augmented by historical illustrations, many here published for the first time. There is also a study of the exceptionally fine surviving choir stalls, with the arms of several later London mayors, which originally seated up to 90 friars. These were set above acoustic chambers in the choir to amplify their singing. Only three other sets of friary choir stalls are known to exist in Britain. An attempt is made to reconstruct the appearance of the friary in its 10 acre (c.4ha) precinct in the 15th century, including the highly unusual architectural expression of the chapter house; the reredorter and the gate houses. Comparative plans of other Carmelite houses in Britain and Europe are illustrated for comparison, some for the first time. Front Cover Title Page Copyright CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS SUMMARY RÉSUMÉ ZUSAMMENFASSUNG SECTION A. THE RÉSUMÉ SECTION B. THE WHITEFRIARS IN COVENTRY - HISTORICAL BACKGROUND SECTION C. THE STANDING BUILDING WITH A DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THE EAST CLOISTER RANGE SECTION D1. THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE FRIARY BUILDINGS SECTION D2. THE MUCH PARK STREET GATE SECTION D3. THE INNER CLOISTER GATE SECTION D4. THE CHAPTER HOUSE RECONSTRUCTION SECTION D5. RECONSTUCTION OF THE REREDORTER SECTION E. ACCOUNT OF THE EXCAVATIONS AT THE CHURCH OF THE WHITEFRIARS, COVENTRY SECTION F. THE ARCHITECTURAL STONEWORK SECTION G. THE ARCHITECTURAL SCULPTURE SECTION H. THE CHOIR-STALLS SECTION I. ‘MARBLES’ GAMING BOARD SECTION J. MEDIEVAL WINDOW GLASS FROM THE CHURCH AND CLOISTER SECTION K. SCIENTIFIC EXAMINATION OF AN OYSTER-SHELL PALETTE SECTION L. LATE 14TH AND 15TH CENTURY STAMPED FLOOR TILE SECTION M. ROOF TILE SECTION N. BRICK SECTION O. SLATE SECTION P. PLASTERWORK SECTION Q. STRUCTURAL METALWORK AND ITS IMPLICATIONS SECTION R. THE POTTERY SECTION R. PART 2: THE MEDIEVAL AND LATER POTTERY SECTION S. THE VESSEL GLASS SECTION T. OBSERVATIONS ON SOME OF THE SMALL FINDS SECTION U. THE WOUND WIRE-HEADED PINS SECTION V. NUMISMATICA SECTION W. HUMAN SKELETAL ANALYSIS SECTION X. THE ANIMAL BONE SECTION Y. WOOD AND CHARCOAL ANALYSIS BIBLIOGRAPHY Charmian Woodfield ; With Contributions By Chris Caple ... [et Al.]. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 382-389). Text In English With Summaries In English, French And German.