2-847-533 - Historic England Archive/Heritage Images

A view looking south-west over the ruins of the Cathedral Church of St Michael from the roof of the new Coventry Cathedral, showing part of the construction site in the foreground adjoining the old cathedral. Following the bombing of Coventry Cathedral in November 1940, a competition was launched in 1950 to find a design for a new cathedral. The winning design was by Sir Basil Spence (1907-1976) from one of over 200 designs submitted. Building work took place between the mid-1950s and 1962. Queen Elizabeth II laid the foundation stone on 23th March 1956.