Coventry’s entrepreneurial heritage development trust has been awarded a major grant to breathe new life into a row of medieval buildings on one of the city’s oldest streets. Historic Coventry Trust is to continue its award-winning work on The Burges by transforming empty upper floors into 17 artists’ studios, six visitor accommodation flats and retail units.

The buildings at 18-20 and 21-24 The Burges, known as Palmer House, have origins in the Middle Ages and have been left to decline. The ground floor of 18-20, and the first and second floors of all of the buildings, are currently vacant and in poor condition. 

Historic Coventry Trust has been awarded a £500,000 Capital Works Grant from the Architectural Heritage Fund’s (AHF) Heritage Revival Fund, funded by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). 

The money will go towards architect fees, surveys, project management, building repairs, strip out and some fit-out costs. Historic Coventry Trust will restore the buildings and create the studios, visitor flats and retail shops as well as help to build an arts community in this part of the city centre. Work is due to start in February 2027 and be completed by September 2027.

The Burges dates back to as early as the 13th century and is one of the few traditional historic high streets left in Coventry. Historic maps show the buildings laid out in medieval “burgage plots”. Part of the street was demolished to make way for road improvements, and several buildings were damaged in the Second World War, which makes the surviving buildings all the more important.

Previous investment in The Burges through Historic England’s High Streets Heritage Action Zone has supported the transformation of 14 buildings and 16 shop fronts in this area. The scheme received a commended award in the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) West Midlands Best Project 2023 awards.