Ruined and Rebuilt: The Story of Coventry Cathedral 1939-1962

On the night of 14 November 1940, Reverend Richard Howard, Provost of Coventry Cathedral, was one of four firefighters who climbed onto the roof to smother with sand the incendiary bombs that were landing not just on the Cathedral but starting a firestorm across the city centre. At around 8pm a fire broke out inside the Cathedral and, despite extinguishing it, they could not control the other fires which ultimately led to its destruction.

Howard writes “As I went into the ruined Cathedral on...