Then & Now

The Site of the Globe – Then & Now

On the night of the 21st of November 1940, a lone Luftwaffe bomber dropped a parachute mine over Abbey End. The above-ground explosion destroyed a swathe of the densely packed shops, houses and pubs and resulted in the tragic deaths of 26 people, many of whom were refugees from Coventry who had come to Kenilworth… Read More The Site of the Globe – Then & Now

Then & Now

Postcard of The Square & Clock Tower – Then & Now

This postcard of The Square can be dated between 1906 when the clock tower was constructed and the 1930s when alterations were made to the buildings comprising Numbers 1 & 2, The Square behind the clocktower. Long distance shots of the same scene can be found in previous Then & Now comparisons here and here.… Read More Postcard of The Square & Clock Tower – Then & Now

Then & Now

Cars Parked at Abbey End – Then & Now

This then and now pair shows a snowy Abbey End as it appeared in the 1960s, still unoccupied since the rubble was cleared away from the destruction of the parachute mine in November 1940. The rubble of the old buildings was cleared away and the site was used as a car park for many years… Read More Cars Parked at Abbey End – Then & Now

Then & Now

Lord Leycester’s Lodge – Then & Now

Possibly the saddest casualty of the November 1941 Luftwaffe parachute mine, after the tragic loss of life itself of course, was the wonderful property at 1 Borrowell Lane known as Lord Leycester’s Lodge, shown here in an early 20th century postcard view. The origins of Lord Leycester’s Lodge are somewhat lost in the mists of… Read More Lord Leycester’s Lodge – Then & Now

From the Archives

From the Archives: Last Night at ‘The Globe’

The moving story below was first published in the 2003 / 2004 edition of the Society’s Kenilworth History publication, written by Roy Stanley. It tells the story of the tragic events of November 21, 1940 when a Luftwaffe parachute landmine fell on Abbey End, killing 26 people. Kenilworth recently marked the 75th anniversary of these horrific events… Read More From the Archives: Last Night at ‘The Globe’