The Charterhouse

The Charterhouse in Coventry stands on the banks of the River Sherbourne in the West Midlands. Built from local red sandstone, it began as a Carthusian monastery founded in 1381 by William la Zouche. King Richard II and Anne of Bohemia laid the foundation stone in 1385, and Henry VI and Henry VII later supported the project. The site once housed a prior, twelve monks, and lay brethren on fourteen acres of land. Three medieval wall paintings survive, including a 1417 Crucifixion scene in the monks’ refectory. The Charterhouse is worth visiting for its rare surviving medieval features. It is the only English Carthusian monastery with intact wall paintings from the period. After the Dissolution, the building passed through private hands, including Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, during Elizabeth I’s reign. Archaeologist Ian Sodden led excavations here between 1968 and 1987. The site was later used for adult education before becoming a public arts centre in 1940. Visitors find a mix of original and later elements. The surviving medieval paintings include a striking Crucifixion scene with figures like Longinus and an angel. Original window tracery remains, though the chapter house and church were lost. An 18th-century orangery and sash windows were added later. The Coach House and precinct wall, both listed buildings, stand nearby. The riverbank setting and the nearby Sherbourne Viaduct add to the historic atmosphere.