COVENTRY’S ‘internationally important’ Priory Visitor Centre has been vandalised only days after closing.
The Priory – considered the city’s birthplace – was forced to close on May 31 due to ongoing financial difficulties in a major blow in the run-up to Coventry hosting UK City of Culture in 2021.
And today (June 4) the centre’s former director Carole Donnelly has posted heartbreaking images of the outside area daubed with blue graffiti and obscene language.
She said: “Didn’t take long for the vandals to take over Priory Visitor Centre only a few days of us not being around.
“Such a shame all of our hard work went unnoticed and under-valued.
“Sad as we only locked up on Friday. Normally one of us would be around and the lighting failed last week too.
“I have reported it to the council now let’s hope they up the patrols and the security we put in place works.”
Coventry City Council said they would be in discussions with the cathedral about salvaging the centre which houses artefacts from the city’s first cathedral and Lady Godiva-founded Priory.
The Midlands School for Social Entrepreneurs – which supports community organisations – tweeted: “This is so sad.
“Especially after all the blood, sweat and tears you have invested in it. Hard to believe the council let it happen with Coventry City of Culture 2021 on the horizon. Gutted for you.”
The centre was rescued by a community non-profit social enterprise venture which re-opened it in 2017 – after a year of closure from Coventry City Council cuts and a long Coventry Observer #savethepriory campaign.
We recently reported it had missed out on funding applications to the Big Lottery and ITV Peoples Project Vote.
The centre in Priory Place near to BBC Coventry and Warwickshire is home to the 1000-year-old remains of the city’s first St Mary’s cathedral and priory.
The Bishop of Coventry Christopher Cocksworth has described the centre’s remains and artefacts as one of our city’s great treasures. He added: “The original St Mary’s cathedral and priory played a very important role in the early life of our great city, part of the city’s story which the world urgently needs to hear.”
Sir Tony Robinson, whose Time Team twice visited the site uncovered during excavations in the 199s0 for the new Millennium, described the treasures as being of international significance.
Medieval expert Dr Jonathan Foyle had said Coventry should be doing more to show off its unique medieval treasures to the world.
The centre’s treasures include a Chapter House wall painting, carved sandstone gargoyles, and 14th century tile floors.
