I have had a fantastic week doing work experience at St Mary’s Guildhall. All the staff I have worked with have been very welcoming and looked after me really well, whilst teaching me all about both the history of the building and the day-to-day running of a heritage site – things that you wouldn’t normally get to see as a guest.
At the start of the week, I was taken around the building by a staff member and shown the layout, as well as being told information about each of the rooms. I was then able to take a digital tour which helped to further build my knowledge, whilst letting me see what guests would experience when they visit. Throughout the week, I have had lots of time to take part in a range of activities, including: learning how front of house welcomes guests, testing out the summer craft activities, shadowing guided tours, doing some research, interacting with guests and writing this blog. Everything was really well communicated to me, and I have been made to feel like one of the team.
This has been a really valuable experience for me as I intend to go into heritage in the future, and it has given me a great insight into what that career might entail. This week has allowed me to try new things and get out of my comfort zone whilst still feeling supported by everyone at the Guildhall. I had the opportunity to do some research of my own which I really enjoyed. Not only did this help me to understand more about different aspects of the wider medieval period, but it also helped to remind me that behind every piece of interpretation in the rooms of the Guildhall, there is someone who has not only compiled the information but put it into an easy-to-understand format, even though the history of the Guildhall is anything but simple and so much of it is still unknown!
Seven hundred years of history is a lot to take in over just five days, but everyone has been so helpful, telling me their own interests about the building and their areas of expertise, which has allowed me to get an all-round understanding of the events that took place here and the legacy they have left.
So much of the Guildhall’s history is still unknown but this just makes it an even more fascinating building to be in. Although the kings, queens and merchants may be long gone, the beauty of this place still prevails and reminds us of the significance of not only this building, but Coventry as a whole – something that I think many of us forget.
I will be recommending St Mary’s Guildhall to everyone! It is a spectacularly beautiful place with a fascinating story, and the staff are some of the kindest people I have ever met! For these reasons and many more, it is the perfect place to visit, and I am very grateful that I have had the opportunity to complete my work experience here. Thank you to everyone at the Guildhall for making this week so brilliant!
Header Image taken by Andrew Moore.
