St John the Baptist Church, Coventry, Medieval church building in Spon Street, Coventry, England.
St John the Baptist Church is a medieval church building located on Spon Street, featuring distinctive battlements and buttresses. The structure displays intricate carvings from the 14th century depicting various creatures on its pillars and arcade arches.
Queen Isabella of France founded the church in 1344, granting land to the Guild of St John to construct a chapel with two priests. This establishment marked the beginning of its role as a community place of worship in Coventry.
The church maintains Anglo-Catholic traditions within the Church of England and displays a relic of Saint Valentine during Mass services. Visitors can observe religious practices that have been sustained in this place for centuries.
The building provides bicycle storage facilities and nearby parking options for visitors. The church operates under the Diocese of Coventry administration and maintains regular worship schedules.
During the English Civil War, the church served as a prison for Scottish Royalist soldiers, an episode that originated the phrase 'sent to Coventry'. This expression remains part of everyday English language to this day.
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