Crowd at the foundation stone laying ceremony at Coventry Cathedral, Coventry, West Midlands
Bombing during the Second World War largely destroyed the original Coventry Cathedral. John Laing plc built a new cathedral between 1955 and 1962 to a design by the architect Basil Spence. Queen Elizabeth II laid the foundation stone in 1956. People lined the streets and rooftops to see her visit to the city. The new cathedral was a symbol of the nation's recovery following the events of the Second World War. The ruins of the old cathedral were preserved and still stand at the entrance to the new building as a reminder of "the folly and waste of war."
Location
West Midlands CoventryPeriod
1950s (1950 - 1959)Themes
