Roughly 1.5 miles west of Coventry city centre, Chapelfields sits between Coundon to the north, Earlsdon to the south, Spon End to the east, and Whoberley to the west. The suburb is predominantly residential, made up mostly of small to medium-sized terraced houses with gardens, and its population skews younger, with a notable proportion of graduates and students, many attending the University of Warwick.
History and Origins
The story of Chapelfields goes back further than its Victorian streets suggest. In 1168, Hugh de Kevelioc, 5th Earl of Chester, founded a lazar house – a hospital for leprosy sufferers – on part of this land, established for a knight named William D’Auney who had contracted the disease while on crusade. The suburb in its recognisable form began to take shape in 1847, when building work commenced to house workers in Coventry’s watchmaking trade. The original streets – Craven Street, Mount Street, Lord Street, Duke Street, the southern side of Allesley Old Road, and the northern side of Hearsall Lane – now form a conservation area because of their direct connection to that industry. Expansion came in the early 20th century, pushing westward to include streets such as Sir Thomas White’s Road, built in 1908 as part of a tram route to Broadgate, along with Queensland Avenue, Kingsland Avenue, Abercorn Road, and Maudslay Road. Some residents and local organisations, including the Chapelfields Area Residents and Traders Association (CARTA), do not consider these later streets to be part of Chapelfields proper. A curious legacy of the western expansion is that properties along that stretch carry restrictive covenants that forbid their use as fried fish shops, a reflection of how common such businesses were in the area at the time.
Pubs and Points of Interest
The public house has long been part of Chapelfields life, and despite a reduction in numbers over the years, eight licensed premises remain in this compact area. These include the Craven Arms, the Chestnut Tree, the Hearsall Inn, the Craven Club, and the Coombe Abbey Inn – all on or near Craven Street – along with the Maudslay, the Four Provinces on the corner of Allesley Old Road and Craven Street, and the Nursery Tavern on Lord Street, which has a reputation as a real ale pub. The Nursery Tavern is thought to take its name from Weare’s Nursery, which previously occupied the land before Chapelfields was built. Among the pubs that no longer exist are the New Inn, the Brewer’s Arms, and the Sun Dial. All Souls Catholic Primary School is also within the Chapelfields area.