Smultron mellan blåbär: Coventry, Bournville, and Wolverhampton

I spent some time in December visiting the surrounding areas of Birmingham. One stop was Coventry. There's a saying that when people ignore you (pretend you don't exist), you've been 'sent to Coventry.' It's also famous for Lady Godiva. The Cathedral in Coventry was destroyed by bombing in WWII and its remains are still standing beside the new church from the 1960s. The present-day site of the library used to be a popular concert venue in the 1960s and 70s, The Locarno. The Who, The Small Faces, The Yardbirds, Pink Floyd, and Led Zeppelin all performed here!

Welcome to Coventry

Lady Godiva statue, Coventry

Coventry City Council building

Coventry Cathedral

Coventry Cathedral remains

Coventry Cathedral, interior (photo from National Churches Trust)

Central Library, Coventry (former site of The Locarno)

Gosford Books, Coventry

Earlsdon branch library, Coventry

At Earlsdon branch library

Bournville in south Birmingham is where Cadbury World, the Cadbury chocolate factory, is located. I did visit the chocolate shop, but actually I was in town to see The Clean Kilo, a neat little grocery store in Bournville. And I also walked by Selly Manor, a 15th century house that was relocated in 1916. It looks really cute! I'd love to stop for a tour on a different day. Events and workshops are occasionally held there.

Cadbury World

The Clean Kilo

Selly Manor

One day I rode the tram all the way from central Birmingham to Wolverhampton. (There are faster ways to get to Wolverhampton, but I had a ticket for the tram.) Of course my soundtrack was Led Zeppelin, because Wolverhampton is Robert Plant's home town! I visited the Wolverhampton Art Gallery, neighbouring St Peter's Gardens, the outdoor market, the library, and some other shops. Since the City of Wolverhampton Council library system is different than the Birmingham City Council library system, I'm planning to sign up for both libraries. At the Art Gallery, I saw an exhibit of Evelyn De Morgan's work. It is nearly the same as an exhibit that was first held there in 1907, the first solo exhibit by a woman artist in England—many of the same paintings are collected again for Painted Dreams: The Art of Evelyn De Morgan.