A bronze equestrian figure of Lady Godiva stands on a Portland-stone plinth in Broadgate, the central commercial area of Coventry. The monument, recorded by Historic England as a listed historic feature, presents the legendary rider in the act that gave the city its name. The plinth bears excerpts from Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s poem “Godiva” together with a dedication from the original patron, William Bassett-Green, to both the lady and the people of Coventry. The work was first commissioned in 1936 by the local businessman William Bassett-Green. By 1940 a scale model had been produced by the sculptor Sir William Reid Dick, who continued to develop the design throughout the Second World War. After hostilities ended, the full-size statue was cast, set on a plinth whose design was influenced by Sir Edwin Lutyens, and unveiled on 22 October 1949 by Peggy Zinsser Douglas, wife of the American ambassador Lewis Williams Douglas. Originally oriented to face south, the figure was turned westward in 1989 when the Cathedral Lanes Shopping Centre was built; a protective canopy added at that time was later removed in 2008. Located on a public thoroughfare, the statue can be approached directly from the surrounding streets of Broadgate. No admission charge applies, and the site forms part of the open urban landscape, allowing visitors to view the sculpture and its inscriptions at any time without the need for specialised facilities.

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War Memorial Park

Styvechale Grange · 9.3 miles

Spanning roughly 48.5 hectares on the southern edge of Coventry, the park offers a substantial green space that also serves as a memorial to the 2,587 local men who lost their lives in the First World War. Opened in July 1921 after the council bought the former Styvechale common from the Gregory-Hood family, the site was later shaped by landscaped gardens and sporting fields added in the late-1920s and 1930s. A prominent 90-foot Portland-stone monument, erected in 1927 and dedicated by Field Marshal Douglas Haig, houses the Chamber of Silence where the Roll of the Fallen is displayed each Remembrance Sunday. Wartime remnants such as concrete blocks from the Second World War’s anti-aircraft installations remain near the Coat of Arms bridge. The park received a Grade II listing in 2013, the memorial itself holds a Grade II* status, and it has retained Green Flag accreditation since 2013. In July 2014, Prince William formally launched the Centenary Fields programme here. Visitors can make use of football pitches, bowling greens, a modest golf course, tennis courts, a splash-play area, a small aviary and a skateboard zone, while extensive open lawns and tree-lined pathways provide space for casual walks. A perimeter path encircles the whole area, and the venue regularly hosts events such as the Godiva Festival, Donkey Derby, Caribbean Festival, Vaisakhi Mela and weekly parkruns that attract several hundred participants. The site also accommodated Radio 1’s Big Weekend in May 2022. Access is via a large tarmacked car park off Kenilworth Road, served by a park-and-ride service to the city centre, with additional smaller car parks on Coat of Arms Bridge Road and near the northern end of Leamington Road. Admission to the park and its facilities is unrestricted.

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Charterhouse

Lower Stoke · 8.7 miles

Upper, flat, level of the fields. Used as rugby pitch.

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Spencer Park

Earlsdon · 8.7 miles

Scenic tree-lined park with an expansive field, children's play areas & cycling paths.

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