Coventry No. 5 / Babbelak / Bablake / Coventru / Coventrv

The Victoria Country History (Warwick, vol. 8, 1969) notes: "The collegiate church of St. John Baptist, Coventry, owes its origin to one of the earliest trade gilds of the city. The gild of St. John Baptist was founded on 6 October, 1342. [...] On its first establishment, one of the objects for which it obtained its licence was the founding of a chantry for six priests to sing daily mass in the two great churches of St. Michael and Holy Trinity. But in 1344 the dowager Queen Isabel, who held for life the manor of Cheylesmore, granted to the gild of St. John a parcel of land called 'Babbelak,' 117 ft. long, and varying in breadth from 40 ft. to 33 ft., on which to build a chapel in honour of God and the Baptist, for their own services, but stipulating for a chantry of two priests to sing daily mass for the royal family. [...] The eastern portion of this chapel was ready for consecration on 2 May, 1350. [...] In 1392 the gild of the Holy Trinity was united to those of St. John Baptist and St. Mary, and under the joint name (though more usually styled Holy Trinity) had licence to purchase lands for the maintenance of nine priests to sing mass daily in the chapel of Bablake for the good estate of Richard II and his queen and his uncles. [...] The college was dissolved in 1548 and later that year the site and buildings were granted to the city. [...] The church itself was apparently dismantled and remained little used [...] until the early 17th century. The church was restored as a place of worship in 1608 [...] Two modern parishes have been created partly out of St. John's: St. Thomas, Albany Road, in 1844, and St. George, Barkers Butts Lane, in 1935." [NB; the other Coventry church dedicated to John the Baptist, on 27 Westwood Heath Road, Coventry CV4 8GN, is a mid-19thC building with a modern font].