Journey Around the Dragons of St Mary’s Guildhall
Amongst the array of impressive architectural features and works of art that fill St Mary’s Guildhall, in keeping with their age-old popularity in British culture, you will find several dragons.
Here, we will guide you around the Dragons of the Guildhall and the significance of each one to the history of the Guildhall, of Coventry and of England of the Middle Ages.
The Tudor Dragons of the Old Council Chamber
In the Middle Ages (and especially the Early Middle Ages) the dragon was usually associated with the Devil, misfortune and evil. Interestingly, in the context of St Mary’s Guildhall and the many depictions of Coventry’s elephant and castle around the building, the (bad) dragon and the (good) elephant were arch enemies.
However, as you go upstairs to enter St Mary’s Great Hall and turn immediately left into the Old Council Chamber, the first representations we see of dragons are more positive ones.
Around the walls of the room, you will find the tapestry frieze. This was designed in the 1930s as a replacement for a 16th century piece and was one of the last works produced at Merton Abbey in London by William Morris’s firm, Morris & Co.
The frieze has heraldic emblems and symbols from Coventry’s history (such as Earl Leofric’s black eagle), plus the coats of arms of monarchs associated with the city. On the left-hand side of the frieze, between the arms of Henry VI and Mary Queen of Scots, you can see the Tudor Red Dragon.
The red dragon was adopted by the Tudor monarchs as a reference to their Welsh heritage. Henry VII, the first Tudor king, was born in Pembrokeshire. He was the grandson of Owen Tudor, a Welsh courtier and second husband of Henry V’s widow, Catherine.
In this case, the Tudor Dragon signifies power, strength and courage.
After his success at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485, which ended the War of the Roses, Henry brought the Houses of Lancaster and York together by marrying, Elizabeth, daughter of Edward IV – and founded the Tudor dynasty.
Two days after the Battle of Bosworth Field, Henry VII visited Coventry and was hosted by the mayor, Robert Onley.
Henry VII, rather than his half-uncle Henry VI, was once thought to be the king depicted in the Coventry Tapestry which hangs at the far end of St Mary’s Great Hall. Alternatively, some people think that Henry VII commissioned the Tapestry.
On the opposite wall in the Old Council Chamber, you will find our second Welsh dragon on the coat of arms of Elizabeth I, the last Tudor monarch. Like her father, Henry VIII, Elizabeth used the English Royal Lion and the Welsh Dragon on her arms, to symbolise she was Queen of England and Wales.
Elizabeth visited Coventry once in 1565, but it was also to the safer haven of Coventry that Elizabeth chose to send Mary Queen of Scots in November 1569. During her six weeks in Coventry, Mary is believed to have been held in St Mary’s Guildhall.
St Michael and St George Fighting Dragons in the Treasury
In the right-hand corner of the Old Council Chamber are the heavy doors through to the Treasury.
Here, there are depictions of both St Michael and St George in conflict with dragons.
St Michael fighting a dragon is one of the medieval oak sculptures (believed to date to the early 1400s) that can be found in the case on the right-hand wall of the Treasury. In Revelations, the Archangel Michael defeats a fearsome dragon, symbolising Satan, and banishes it from Heaven down to the earth.
St. Michael’s was the parish church in Coventry, dating back to the 1150s, which was rebuilt in 1450 and elevated to the status of cathedral in 1918. It was famously destroyed in the Coventry Blitz of 1940. The ruins sit opposite St Mary’s Guildhall, alongside the new (St. Michael’s) Cathedral, which was consecrated in 1962.
The wooden statue of St. George and the Dragon in the Treasury is a replica of the late 14th century original. The original was brought to the Guildhall in 1822 when St George’s Chapel on Gosford Bridge in Coventry was destroyed. It is now held in the nearby Herbert Art Gallery and Museum.
Images of St. George defeating the dragon – image taken by Andrew Moore.
George’s dragon-slaying dates to the 3rd century to the Roman province of Libya, where George was a Roman soldier, and the dragon was terrorising a local village. He saves a princess, who is about to be offered as the latest sacrifice to the dragon and kills the dragon in return for a promise from the inhabitants to be baptised.
It became a popular Christian saint story (George died as a martyr for his faith and was made a saint at the end of the 5th century), with the dragon in the legend once again representing evil. The legend is thought to have been introduced to England by returning Crusaders, more than 700 years later.
St George was made patron saint of England by Edward III in the 14th century. Later, in Coventry, processions to celebrate him were conducted every year around the city. One story even identified Coventry as the birthplace of St George.
The St George processions were taken over by that of Lady Godiva, but St George continued to feature in a more minor role.
Dragons in the Great Hall
Coming out of the Treasury and back through the Old Council Chamber to the Great Hall, in the west window to the Old Council Chamber’s left, see if you can spot another representation of St Michael fighting the dragon. It appears in the coat of arms of William Whitchurch, mayor of Coventry in 1400 and brother of the Trinity Guild.
Walk down now to the Coventry Tapestry at the far end of the Great Hall and look at the upper ‘heavenly’ layer of figures in the Tapestry. On the left-hand side is a line of 12 male saints. In the middle of these, you can find St George, holding the Cross of St George, this time without a dragon.
But move along the top layer of the tapestry to the female saints on the right-hand side and you will see the last dragon in the Guildhall. It’s at the feet of St. Margaret of Antioch, to the left of St Agnes and her lamb. It’s a different looking dragon to the others we have seen, covered in spots and perhaps less threatening.
Like St George, Margaret was from modern day Turkey of the 3rd or early 4th century. She refused to renounce her Christian faith and was imprisoned. She was tortured in prison and legend tells that the Devil appeared as a dragon and swallowed her whole. Margaret escaped by showing a cross that she had with her. She was, though, later beheaded and canonised for devotion to her faith.
Because of her trial with the Devil, disguised as our final dragon upstairs in the Guildhall, Margaret is the patron saint of expectant mothers (especially those experiencing difficult childbirth).
If you’re fascinated by history and eager to delve into the rich heritage of St Mary’s Guildhall and Coventry, why not plan a visit? Step inside and uncover the intriguing stories and vibrant history that this iconic building holds. From its medieval origins to its role in the city’s cultural tapestry, St Mary’s Guildhall offers a captivating journey through time. Don’t miss the chance to explore this historic gem and immerse yourself in Coventry’s fascinating past.
Visit usSources
‘What was the Importance of the Dragon in Early Medieval England?’ (thecollector.com) Rachel Sweeney, May 2024
‘British Dragonlore: Myths And Legends of Dragons’ (theenlightenmentjourney.com)
‘Separating Myth from Legend about the Medieval Dragon’ (Getty Iris Blog) Zachary Diaz, May 2018
‘Saint Margaret of Antioch, Biography, Feast Days & Facts’, www.britannica.com
‘Saint George, Biography, Feast Days & Facts’, www.britannica.com
‘House of Tudor, History, Monarchs and Facts’, www.britannica.com
‘Henry VII of England’, Wikipedia
St Mary’s Guildhall Guidebook, 2022
Earlier St Mary’s Guildhall Guidebooks/Leaflets, held in SMGH internal reference materials
‘The Story of Coventry’ Peter Walters, 2013
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