Paul Curtis is a Coventry tour guide who broadcasts history lessons but not as you know it from Coventry, the next UK City of Culture for 2021 from his Sitting Rooms of Culture.

Mar 30th St Osburg of Coventrys Official Feast Day although celebrated on Sept 9th with Godivas Feast Sep 10th. But who was she?

Osburga was an Anglo-Saxon saint who was probably the first person to actually be Sent to Coventry

It is suspected that her cult predates the Viking Age hence why the green plaque in Priory Row suggests she came here around 650AD. 15th-century writer John Rous says Cnut the Great destroyed the old Coventry minster, and noted that the "holy virgin Osburga now laid there in a noble shrine" (probably in the south transept of the church).The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records the devastation at Coombe Abbey, Stoneleigh Abbey and Coventry Abbey in 1016 by Cnut who was aided by Eadric Stereona the Grasper. Cnut killed him off in 1017 and he appointed none other than Leofric the Earl or Mercia to take care of his taxation business in the region, Leo was married to Countess Godiva AKA Lady Godiva and she persuaded him as only a woman can to rebuild a Priory on the same site where St Osburgh died. On the 4th October 1043 they all rocked up and the Coventry charter tells that the abbey was dedicated to St Osburh (as well as St Mary, St Peter and All Saints)

St Osburh was said to rest at Coventry in the 12th-century resting-place list of Hugh Candidus and she is mentioned again in the 13th-century Scandinavian Ribe Martyrology.

According to a description of Coventry's relics made in 1539, her head was enclosed with copper and gold and was one of the relics registered in The Dissolution of The Monasteries. She has never been found.

HOWEVER

St Osburg's Church also known as THE Church of the Most Holy Sacrament and St Osburg is a beautifully stunning Roman Catholic Parish church in Coventry on Upper Hill Street and Barras Lane. It is stunning and although I’ve put some pictures up today I am going to ask my friend Steven Bradley if I can post his video which is amazing.

Built between 1843 and 1845, designed by Charles Hansom. Founded by Benedictine Monks from Downside Abbey, it is a Grade II listed building. That’s Downside Abbey not Downton.

In 1841, a Downside Abbey monk called , William Ullathorne OSB, came to Coventry from Australia 🇦🇺 which is where your Bishop Ullathorne school comes from.

When he got Sent to Coventry, a chapel, dedicated to St Lawrence and St Mary was there but it was small and he had BIG plans, he got in touch with Charles Hansom the designer and building started in 1843, two years later, job done but this isn’t where the story ends.

9 September 1845, the church was consecrated by the Vicar Apostolic of the Midland District, Nicholas Wiseman which is where your Cardinal Wiseman School comes from.

21 June 1846 William or Bill Ullathorne to his friends became the Vicar Apostolic of the Western District and the ceremony was held in the church and in attendance was none other than John Henry Newman which is where your Cardinal Newman School came from and he’s a particular favourite of my dad.

14 November 1940 the Luftwaffe decided on a city wide redesign and during one particular air raid, the church's roof, chancel, east side masonry, and all the windows and furnishings were destroyed, the church remained in partial ruins.

The chancel was in partial ruins until the 1950s when ALL of the stained glass windows were replaced bought from Earley and Company in Ireland 🇮🇪 the renowned stained glass manufacturer. The windows were paid for by the parishioners and one of the windows was paid for by Winnifred Coppola who is the Grandma or Coventry Doorman and Dog Handler Tony Coppola and his brother Leon Coppola. Tony has been on the door of Drapers since it was built and before that they had Coppola’s gym and his dad was a world champion body builder and his great great great many times removed cousin is the film maker Francis Ford Coppola (I’ve added the last bit.

If you went to Cardinal Newman, Cardinal Wiseman, Bishop Ullathorne or St St Osburg's Church, Coventry or St Osburgs School please share this with your classmates, your brothers and your sisters and Coventry and history in general because as the Deep Fact Friar always says “sharing is caring and caring is sharing” so share away and leave comments and post pics of school days etc and favourite teachers.

Thank you St Osburgh for all you did and continue to do for Coventy, the next UK City of Culture in less than 278 days.

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