Coventry Archives Talk: Forget Guy Fawkes - How Coventry was central to the Gunpowder Plot

The Herbert Art Gallery & Museum is hosting a talk on Tuesday 3 November, from 11.00am to 12.00pm, titled Forget Guy Fawkes - How Coventry was central to the Gunpowder Plot. It's led by Peter Walters, who'll be digging into the city's own role in the plot rather than just the well-known story of the cellar in London.

Most of us know the Gunpowder Plot as a London story, with Guy Fawkes and the Parliament buildings at the centre. This talk shifts the focus to Coventry, showing how the city sat right in the middle of it. Walters draws on local buildings and history to trace the connections, pointing to places like the Hopkins family-owned Palace Yard, The Bull Inn on Smithford Street, and Coombe Abbey, alongside the Catesby family. It's the kind of thing that makes you look at familiar streets and old buildings a bit differently, knowing they played a part in something that almost changed the course of the country.

It's a morning session, so it's one of those things you can fit in before lunch. Tickets are £7.50 for general admission and £5 for concessions, which covers seniors and students. Space is limited and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, so if you're interested, it's worth getting your name in early. There are no refunds for cancellations, and booking goes through the Archives team. The talk runs from 11.00am to 12.00pm at The Herbert on Tuesday 3 November.