The Weaver's House

Open Days are not only about us sharing the stories of our site but are occasionally
enhanced by visitors bringing examples of connected histories and related products. Recently we were joined by Carol Greene who produced samples of beautifully dyed and woven tweed from the long-established Magee company.

Founded by John Magee in the 1860’s “Magee 1866” is a fifth-generation family business that has been part of Donegal’s rich textile heritage weaving Donegal Tweed for over a century.

Magee 1866 combines its heritage with modern designs to produce timeless textiles which could not fail to tempt a tailor or designer.

Many thanks to Carol for dropping by and sharing the story and samples. Stunning colours.

Lots to do this weekend in Coventry, including our open day! 👇

Open days reminder! There are only three open days of the 2026 season left:

Saturday 8 August
Saturday 12 September – Heritage weekend
Sunday 13 September – Heritage weekend

We can open for small group tours, subject to availability of volunteer guides.

If you have a particular interest i.e. Tudor Living, Family History, Weaving, etc., please let us know as one of specialist volunteers may be able to accompany your visit.

To enquire about group visits and talks please email [email protected] for more information.

St. Catherine's Well in Coventry.

A hidden piece of Coventry's history has a fresh new look!

Tucked away on Beaumont Crescent, St. Catherine's Well is one of Coventry's hidden heritage gems. Thanks to The Sherbourne Valley Project, the site now has a newly restored protective gate and brand-new interpretation, helping more people discover the fascinating story of this historic spring and medieval chapel.

Dating back hundreds of years, St. Catherine's Well has long been part of Coventry's relationship with water. The new interpretation also includes a QR code linking to a short film with a 3D scan of the site, allowing visitors to explore its history in even greater detail.

Also, join us for the official opening! On the 11th August from 12:30pm to 2pm, we'll be at Beaumont Crescent sharing information about the site and discussing the work. Come along to celebrate this important milestone, learn about the history of the well, and be among the first to experience the new interpretation.

Find out more and reserve your place here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sherbourne-valley-project-st-catherines-well-new-gate-interpretation-tickets-1994668980616?aff=oddtdtcreator

We hope the improvements help inspire even more people to uncover the hidden stories flowing beneath Coventry's streets.

The pioneering work on the jet engine by Sir Frank Whittle has been celebrated with a new set of stamps from Royal Mail.

Read more below.

We are often asked if we have found any “witches marks” anywhere within our old buildings. One of our volunteers had read an article about burn marks which may have been considered to be witches marks and have often pointed out some scorching on a beam as a joking possibility.

But you never know who is listening, do you? Dr Cathy Coutts, Principal Historic BuildingsOfficer, Archaeology Warwickshire, was a visitor during the May Open Day and was able to provide more information about our marks. She was fairly convinced that they are deliberately created symbols probably used to ward off bad luck and cited the work of James Wright, Triskele Heritage, and his Mediaeval Mythbusting Blogs; The Problem of “Witchmarks” and Burn Marks as a source of further information.

Cathy had attended a lecture given by James Wright and he stressed that they were
often found in liminal (an in -between space, from the Latin meaning “threshold”)
places where air, and therefore spirits, from outside could enter. Typically, this would be on chimney breast bressumers (the heavy timber spanning the fireplace opening), on door frames and next to window openings where they were made as protection from spirits entering.

Obviously with there being the loom in the room this was a critical area to protect as it was the base of the family's livelihood.

The photo shows the proximity of the marks to the window which is now glazed
but would have been an “opening” when the house was built. It has been lightened to
show the marks.

Research has shown that use of a candle or reed in an upright position could not result in a scorch mark of this shape. The flame has been held at 45° to the wall for this to occur. It appears to be a deliberate act. This type of marking was a form of protection and in the case of John Croke and his weaving ancestors may have been added to protect the key mechanism of his trade and income, i.e. his loom.

What do you think? Have a look yourself at our next open day on Saturday 11th July.

Jane Cobbett Textile Tutor will be at our next open day with her exhibition of quilts and textiles.

Saturday 11th July: 10am-4pm.
Free to visit.

We will be joined by the Coventry Woodcarvers Association at The Weaver's House open day on the 11th July.

You'll find us at Black Swan Terrace, 121 Upper Spon Street, Spon End, Coventry, CV1 3BQ.