Among Coventry city's claim to fame is of course the legend of Lady Godiva, who rode her horse nude, with only her hair to cover her, through the city streets, as it was the only way her husband said he'd stop an oppressive tax on the citizens of the city. The origin of "peeping Tom" also is associated with this story as the citizens all stayed indoors while she rode thru the city except for a man named Thomas who peeped thru a window and (according to legend) was then struck dead.
So it was a thrill to be to walk by this statue of Lady Godiva, which is located in the middle of a massive square, surrounded by shops. Honestly all it needed to make it a more meta experience, would be a Godiva Chocolates shop in the background!
The statue of Lady Godiva absolutely dominates the square and from the inscription, it seems the statue is a relatively recent commemoration from the 1950s!!! The statue has got a lovely greenish cast probably cause it's cast from a bronze/ brass mix.
It's a beautifully cast statue and horse and rider are perfectly in balance. The nudity is tastefully done and so a real credit to the sculptor. Check it out if you are in the area.
Yelp 12/ 2019 read more