The Statue was cared by Sir Jacob-Epstein during 1934-5 from a block of Subiaco marble. It was given to Coventry Cathedral at the wish of Lady Epstein and dedicated on 22 March 1969.

ECCE HOMO represents Christ before Pilate with his hands bound and a crown of thorns upon his head. *

*quoted from a plaque beneath the statue

THIS BELL inscribed in English & German with the word – PEACE FRIEDE was presented to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, by Richard von Weizsacker, President of the Federal Republic of Germany during the Service of Reconciliation on the 50th Anniversary of the bombing of Coventry. November 14th 1990~*

*Quoted from a sign beneath the bell

This sculpture by Clarke Fitzgerald was given to the Cathedral by Christ Church, Cincinnati, USA in 1971.

A plumb-line is used to determine whether or not a building is standing straight. This sculpture is based on a passage from the Bible, Amos 7.7-9, where God sets out his intention to assess whether or not his people are aligned with him. Amos is warned that, if necessary, God will take action to put things right…

This is what he showed me: the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb-line, with a plumb-line in his hand. And the Lord said to me, ‘Amos, what do you see?’ And I said, ‘A plumb-line.’ Then the Lord said, ‘See, I am setting a plumb-line in the midst of my people Israel; I will never again pass them by; the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste, and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.’*

*Quoted from a signboard next to the sculpture

This Chapel has as its focus a replica of an extraordinary piece of art – the Stalingrad Madonna.

The curved figure of the Virgin Mary enfolds her baby in her hood, her eyes closed. The words around her translate as ‘1942 Christmas in the cauldron…Light, Life, Love’.

It was drawn at a time of terrible suffering, but the mother keeps her baby safe, a symbol of light, life and love.*

*Info from a signboard next to the chapel

This intimate chapel sits beside the nave, close to its immense tapestry and the high altar, both of which are so often, by design, bathed in natural light. In contrast, the Chapel of Gethsemane is small with relatively little lighting. Its mosaic depicts the Angel of Agony by Steven Sykes which, on approach, is viewed through a wrought-iron crown of thorns, designed by Sir Basil Spence. Thus, beside the large, blazing glory of the tapestry and high altar, this quiet, small chapel serves as a reminder of suffering and a place of prayer and contemplation, away from the focal point of the Cathedral.

This chapel, also known as the Chapel of industry, connects us with the everyday world through clear glass.

Christians are not called to step out of the world but to be deeply involved, loving and serving others. Here we give thanks that we meet God in our daily life and work and ask for grace to know God there and make God known.*

*from a signboard at the entrance to the Chapel

The Charred Cross is made from two medieval roof beams which had fallen in the shape of a cross in the rubble after the bombing of the Cathedral in 1940.

Cathedral Groundsman Jock Forbes’ instinctive action was to set up this sign of Christ’s suffering amidst the destruction. the beams were bound together and placed the Sanctuary of the Ruins. the Charred Cross remained there until 1978 whin it was brought to this location for safekeeping.

The beams were originally held in place with medieval roof nails. The ‘Cross of Nails’, formed from three such nails, is the internationally-recognised symbol of our peace and reconciliation ministry. You can see the original ‘cross of nails’ in the centre of the High Altar Cross. *

*from a sign board next to the Charred Cross

Details from Coventry Cathedral website:

The artist John Piper was asked to design the stained glass. His view was that with 198 small areas of window to fill, the glass needed dazzling colour and an abstract pattern to create unity.

Working with glassmaker Patrick Reyntiens, he created the window from thousands of differently-sized pieces of glass to visually vary the space and rest the eye.

The baptismal font is situated in front of the baptistery window and is carved in the shape of a shell. The Inner City Peace Trail provides further information:

The font is carved into a boulder that was donated by the government of Jordan as a gesture towards Muslim, Christian and Jewish cooperation. It was shipped from a hillside near Bethlehem in 1960 and placed before John Piper’s stunning Baptistry window.

The font was carved into it by Ralph Beyer. He was a German letter-cutter, sculptor and teacher. He is most noted for his work on the new Coventry Cathedral, including carving not only the baptismal font but also the foundation stone of the cathedral, the greetings set into its floor and, what is perhaps his most famous work, the huge inscriptions in the nave.

Born in Berlin, Beyer served in the British Army during WWII. His mother was murdered in Auschwitz.