Coventry Cathedral for the new Coventry Cathedral provides an element of unity between the buildings. The foundation stone of the new cathedral was laid by Elizabeth II on 23 March 1956. The unconventional spire (known as a "flèche") is tall and was lowered onto the flat roof by a helicopter, flown by Wing Commander John Dowling in April 1962. The cathedral was consecrated on 25 May 1962, and Benjamin Britten's "War Requiem", composed for the occasion, was premiered in the new cathedral on 30 May to mark its consecration. Coventry's modernist design caused much discussion, but on opening to the public it
History of Coventry UK Universities in the national league tables. Since its establishment, the University has incorporated the former Coventry College of Education in 1979, and has expanded its grounds to with many modern buildings and academic facilities, lakes and woodlands. Coventry University, which dates back to the foundation of Coventry College of Design in 1843, has a site in central Coventry. The earliest example of organised healthcare in Coventry was in existence by at least 1793. The General or Charitable Dispensary was financed by charity alone, and was intended for those who had "such claims to respectability" that they should be saved