38–39 Bayley Lane, Medieval undercroft in central Coventry, England
The undercroft at 38-39 Bayley Lane is a 14th-century storage cellar built with two square bays that form a rectangular chamber with sandstone walls and a ribbed vault ceiling. The roughly 21 by 11 foot room displays typical features of medieval vaulted architecture.
The cellar was created in the 14th century and belonged to a prosperous cloth merchant who used it to display his wealth. After St. Mary's Guildhall was established, Bayley Lane became a major commercial street in the city.
The niches carved into the western and southern walls show how medieval merchants stored their most valuable goods. These storage spaces reveal how important trade was to people living on this lane.
The cellar is accessible through the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum, with an entrance on the western side of the structure. Plan your visit around museum hours so you can explore this underground space without rushing.
The northern wall retains an original window opening that took advantage of the natural slope of the land to bring light into the underground space. This clever design shows how medieval craftsmen skillfully used the site's geography.
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