POWER & PIETY
A story of Coventry's first cathedral
We are two recent graduates of Coventry University, where we spent three years immersed in the study of History. Both of us plan to continue on to master’s degrees in the subject, but first we chose to take a year out - a chance to reflect, reset, and decide our next steps. I’m a born-and-bred Coventrian, while Rory hails from Stoke-on-Trent. Together, we wanted a project that would challenge us academically and creatively, while also keeping us grounded as we worked full-time.
The short film we’ve created is intended to be both accessible and enjoyable for all audiences. History is full of extraordinary stories, and our aim was to bring some of them to life. From Lady Godiva and Earl Leofric’s endowment of a monastery to a bloody battle fought before a half-built cathedral, from the rise of oligarchic merchants to the dramatic dissolution of a once-majestic structure - the cathedral-priory of Coventry is not short on drama. Our hope is that this film captures some of that energy and makes the past vivid and approachable for everyone.
This is a story of the priory-cathedral’s past, told through the eyes of those who called it home. At its heart is the theme of power and piety: the influence this site wielded, and the devotion that surrounded it. Our journey takes viewers from its contested beginnings as an Anglo-Saxon nunnery to its final days in the shadow of Henry VIII’s religious reforms. For centuries this site held immense cultural and spiritual significance, before it fell into ruin and was lost to time. Through this film, we hope to restore some of its voice and invite others to see the wonder it still holds.
This project really began as something of a chance encounter. I had always admired the work that LTB Showrooms were doing in the old Litten Tree building and had attended some brilliant events there before they had to move on. When they relocated to the Priory Visitor Centre, I found myself stopping by more often whenever I was in the city centre. My old housemate and good friend Akeel is part of this inspiring collective, and through him I got to see how much energy and creativity they were bringing into the space.
One day, I asked the team at LTB whether there might be a possibility of doing something for the upcoming Heritage Week. At the time it was the height of summer, they were still settling into their new home, and I didn’t want to push too hard - but they gave me a provisional yes. That small opening was all we needed. We pitched the idea to our former lecturer, Dr Darren Reid, who not only encouraged us but also offered his support and guidance should we need it. With that reassurance, and eventually a green light from LTB, we got to work right away.
Rory and I divided the research between us. I volunteered to cover the turbulent period of the civil war during King Stephen’s reign, while he took on other threads of the priory’s history. From there, we threw ourselves into reading everything we could get our hands on. Our very first day of filming came the morning after our graduation at the end of July - a symbolic way to begin our first post-university project. From that point, it was a whirlwind. We travelled across the old diocese of Coventry and Lichfield, visited cathedrals and historic sites far and wide, and slowly began to stitch together a narrative.
Doing all of this in just over a month, while also juggling full-time jobs, has been exhausting at times, but it has also been a huge joy. The experience opened my eyes to the sheer amount of craft and determination that goes into making a documentary - even one of just twenty minutes, let alone a feature-length production. Despite the challenges, the journey has been immensely rewarding, and it has deepened both my appreciation for history and my respect for the art of filmmaking.