The Weaver’s House
How weaver John Croke lived and worked in 1540
121 Upper Spon Street, Spon End, Coventry, CV1 3BQ
Facilities
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Accessible loos
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Easily accessible without car
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No parking
As with many heritage properties, due to the age of the house accessibility is limited in parts of the property.
Entrance:
The front entrance is a large step up above the current street level so a temporary step may be placed here. Wheelchair access is via the side gate, through the lower level of the garden.
Visitor Centre:
The area open to the public is on the ground floor.
The Weaver’s House:
Because this is a historical sloping site with uneven floors and steps, access to certain areas can be difficult. The loom in the upstairs (solar) room is only accessed by a ladder; our volunteer guides can give a short talk using a model loom.
Access for wheelchairs is limited to the first room of the House. Turning space is limited and not suitable for large wheelchairs.
Garden
There is some uneven ground in the garden area. The lower level of the garden is accessible. Access to the garden by wheelchair is through side gate and sloped pathway.
Toilets
There is an accessible toilet on site.
Parking
We do have one disability parking space, on the road directly outside the property, however being road parking, it can often be taken.
On Spon Street, one of the most historic areas in Coventry, a terrace of six cottages built in 1455 has been brought back to life.
One of the cottages has been restored to show how it would have looked in 1540. This shows how John Croke, a Coventry narrow-loom weaver, and his family would have lived and worked. You can see a replica of the loom that he would have used.
The Weaver’s House itself is a two-storey building, the upper floor containing the loom is accessed by a ladder. The house, which was destined for demolition in the 1990s, has been restored back to its 1540 appearance as much as possible, but some interesting details such as wallpaper fragments from later periods have been retained.
At the back of the Weaver’s House is a medieval garden showing the plants that would have been grown for food, flavouring, medicine and household use including woad and madder which are natural dyes.
Open Days include talks about the life of John Croke and the history of the buildings in the terrace, and often include demonstrations of spinning, weaving, dyeing and other activities connected with medieval life.
Refreshments (tea, coffee and homemade cake) are available on Open Days.
The house is open for selected Open Days and Heritage Open Days. Please check the website for full details.
2024 Open Days
All from 10am until 4pm (suggested last entry 3.30pm)
April – Saturday 6th
May – Saturday 11th
June – Saturday 8th
July – Saturday 13th
August – Saturday 10th
September – Saturday 14th & Sunday 15th (for Heritage Open Days, please note there is no access to the loom during this weekend.)
The house is open to the public on selected dates through the spring and summer months. Entry is free on these Open Days. Donations are welcome.
Pre-booked groups can be shown around at any time subject to availability.
We are very close to the city centre and therefore other local places of interest. If you are planning to bring your group to Coventry, a visit to The Weaver’s House would be an ideal complement to larger sites such as the cathedrals or museums.
There is no specific charge for group visits, we simply ask that you make a suitable donation. Group visits generally take 45 minutes to one hour.
Ten people can be comfortably shown round The Weaver’s House as a small group. For bigger groups we will split you up into smaller groups. 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 info@theweavershouse.org
As with many heritage properties, due to the age of the house accessibility is limited in parts of the property.
Entrance:
The front entrance is a large step up above the current street level so a temporary step may be placed here. Wheelchair access is via the side gate, through the lower level of the garden.
Visitor Centre:
The area open to the public is on the ground floor.
The Weaver’s House:
Because this is a historical sloping site with uneven floors and steps, access to certain areas can be difficult. The loom in the upstairs (solar) room is only accessed by a ladder; our volunteer guides can give a short talk using a model loom.
Access for wheelchairs is limited to the first room of the House. Turning space is limited and not suitable for large wheelchairs.
Garden
There is some uneven ground in the garden area. The lower level of the garden is accessible. Access to the garden by wheelchair is through side gate and sloped pathway.
Toilets
There is an accessible toilet on site.
Parking
We do have one disability parking space, on the road directly outside the property, however being road parking, it can often be taken.
Getting here
121 Upper Spon Street, Spon End, Coventry, CV1 3BQ
We are located just outside the Coventry Ring Road.
On foot from Coventry city centre:
Walk down Medieval Spon Street towards the ring road and take the pedestrian underpass. Keep walking along the pedestrian pathway until you reach the first road which is Windsor Street. Cross over Windsor Street onto Upper Spon Street. Black Swan Terrace is on your right, you will see the corner building with the green tiles as you approach.
By Car:
From the Coventry Ring Road, take Junction 8 heading out on Holyhead Road (A4114).
Take the first turning on the left (at the traffic lights) onto Barras Lane then the second turning on the right onto Upper Spon Street – you will see the corner building with the green tiles as you approach. Black Swan Terrace is on your right as you turn this corner.
Parking:
At the moment there is limited on-street parking during the week, with more space at weekends. Another option would be to park in one of the nearby city car parks and walk from the city centre to The Weaver’s House, as above.
Buses:
Two roads close to The Weaver’s House, Butts Road and Holyhead Road, have regular bus services. For the latest information check nxbus.co.uk or you could use the route planner at www.travelinemidlands.co.uk.
By Train:
To Coventry station, and then by foot (approximately 20 minutes walk), or by bus.
If you are taking a taxi please be sure to ask for Upper Spon Street to be on the correct side of the ringroad.
