71/2
Payed for 4 stryke of mawlte and gryndyng 7 81/2
Payd for 6 gallons of worte more 2 0
Payd for gatherynge of slates & oyster shelles 31/4
Payd to Cookson for the cradle and 3 other pullesses 5 8

The glovers' snippings were for making size, which, with the eggs,
malt and wort were used in place of water for tempering the mortar.
Lightning seriously damaged the spire in 1655 and 1694, in the former
case causing much injury to the nave roof by falling stone. In 1793
Wyatt, the architect responsible for so much destruction of Mediaeval
work in various cathedrals, advised that a timber framework to carry
the bells should be built up within the tower from the ground and that
the tower arch should be bricked up. All this has been changed since
1885, the bells now hang (but are not pealed) in the octagon, the
chimes and clock are in the chamber below, the arch is opened and the
groining restored.

All galleries had been taken down in 1849 and the present seats,
giving room for near 2,500 persons, introduced, while the incongruous
wall-arcading in the apse was soon after added. At the same period
many important sepulchral monuments, probably stigmatized as
"excrescences," were taken down and removed to other parts of the
church.

Five years after this the exterior of the aisle walls was recased with
the same friable sandstone. In 1860 the reredos was erected, the
subjects of the panels being the sacrifices of Abel, Noah,
Melchisedec, and Abraham, and the Last Supper. To the latest
restoration, which included entire recasing of tower and spire,
clearstories and chancel, the new sacristy at the south east, and
other work, Mr. George Woodcock, a Coventry citizen, gave L10,500, and
the sum of L39,500 was raised and expended, the re-opening taking
place on 22nd April, 1890.

In 1850 a dispute of considerable public interest with regard to the
levying of the church rate between the vicar and the wardens and
overseers was decided in the Court of Queen's Bench. An Act of
Parliament of 1780 had empowered the wardens to levy a rate in lieu of
tithe for the stipend of the vicar, to produce not less than L280 nor
more than L300. The wardens having ever since allowed their powers to
remain in abeyance, the vicar claimed the right to make the rate as
his predecessors had done. Lord Campbell and three other judges were
however unanimous in giving jud