3-5 Priory Row is a collection of some of the finest, best preserved 15th century timber framed cottages, overlooked by the 12th Century Holy Trinity Church in Coventry’s historic centre. They formed part of, and stand next to, the ruins of St Mary’s priory which was founded by Earl Lefric and his wife Lady Godiva known for the legend where she rode around the city on horseback naked covered only by her long hair. Remarkably, the cottages escaped disaster during the 1940 bombing raid which destroyed much of the historic city centre.
Designated of great architectural importance, the heritage buildings are Grade II*Listed. The timber used to construct the cottage’s have been tree ringed, dating back to 1414, but they were not built until around 1648 by Rev Bryan of Holy Trinity Church, thought to be reclaimed materials from other building projects. In 1855 they were restored and extended.
Originally the cottages were one building known as Lychgate House, its original function is unclear. Deeds of the late 16th century describe 6 cottages on the same site, which were gradually reconfigured to stand as is current with 3 cottages occupying what was once the large house. In the 19th century the building was in a state of disrepair and acquired by the neighbouring Blue Coat School, until the Council took over ownership. It became known as Coventry Prayer House, providing religious spaces for cross-denominational worship, some office space and a gift shop.
Recently, Coventry Heritage Trust took control of them to form one of the city’s leading heritage venues as part of its ‘City Of Culture 2021’ status. They have been painstakingly restored, refurbished, and conserved, as luxury short term lets.
Architects Vagdia and Holmes put together the specifications to upgrade these architecturally challenging cottages. As they are Grade II* Listed, and in line with the clients wishes, any changes need to be of minimal intervention to retain their charm and character yet needed to be made comfortable and functional for those renting the spaces. As mentioned, they are timber framed with lath and plaster infills and in the main they had the original single pane diamond leaded decorative windows, doing little to provide thermal and acoustic insulation. Secondary glazing sited as the only way to upgrade the window performance, so a straightforward specification was put together.
Messenger Construction carried out major structural repairs before the main refurbishment works started. During which, historic investigations had to be actioned as and when things were unearthed, such as historic oak wooden flooring hidden beneath carpets. An original window in what is referred to as the ‘Godiva Room’, was discovered in a wall, probably a left over from prior renovations now forming a feature. Messenger sub-contracted Selectaglaze to manufacture and install the secondary glazing units, with 2 sample windows to be reviewed by the client and architect.
The buildings have moved over time, so the windows were far from plumb and true. Some had reveals into which the secondary could be fitted. Therefore, careful planning and consideration was given to the fixing details in every opening. They were measured and timber sub-grounds produced, which were installed to square up the reveal or to enable face fixing. A great deal of scribing was necessary to meet the shape and nuances of the original timber surrounds. Once this element was in place, production measurements for the aluminium frames were taken to ensure an exact fit.
38 units were made from across the slimline range of secondary glazing; Series 10 – 2 and 3 pane sliders were used for the smaller windows and 4 pane horizontal sliding units for those spanning just under 2 metres. Series 45 hinged casements were installed, a couple of which were glazed with satinovo glass to provide privacy. To go with the dark wood reveals in a few of the windows, black frames were produced, with the rest of the secondary glazing in white to match the surrounds.
Selectaglaze is a specialist designer, manufacturer, and installer of bespoke secondary glazing systems across the UK. Selectaglaze seeks to provide their customers with the best in class product and service to meet all challenges, which is achieved by a process of continual improvements. Selectaglaze has the widest range of secondary glazing units providing a vast range of solutions for projects.
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