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Current lightbox. Live chat. Lady Godiva Stock Photos and Images Narrow your search:. Cut Outs. Page 1 of Next page. The idea of a naked woman riding in a procession is common to several early rites invoking a goddess of fertility.

The story of Godiva's naked ride certainly grabbed the attention of later writers and artists. The story has been painted numerous times, and many of the most important paintings, including works by John Collier, Edwin Landseer and Alfred Woolmer, are on display in the Herbert Museum in Coventry.

The earliest artistic impression of the event comes in a 14th-century stained glass window in Holy Trinity Church in Coventry. The window originally bore the inscription. Unfortunately, the window was removed in and only a few fragments remain in the church. Interestingly, images of Godiva proliferated in Coventry in the aftermath of the Reformation, when overtly Catholic imagery was banned.

Godiva came to symbolise civic freedom, and Coventry held regular Godiva Processions from During these processions civic dignitaries including the Mayor, Aldermen, and city guild members proceeded through the streets, following the imagined route taken by Godiva on her famous ride, accompanying a man dressed as St George, men in black armour, and a girl on horseback clad in a flesh-coloured costume.

The processions had a lot in common with medieval mummers plays. The celebrations sometimes got out of hand, and on one famous occasion 'Godiva' had too much to drink and had to be held upright on her horse. Godiva processions ceased by but are still held on occasion to mark special events, such as coronations of a monarch or the Festival of Britain. If you visit Coventry the image of Godiva is hard to escape.

Her statue adorns the front facade of Council House , the civic offices on Earl Street. More famously, a statue of Godiva mounted on her horse stands on Broadgate, under the gaze of a clock in a nearby tower. When the hour strikes, a figure of Godiva appears, riding across the clock face on a white steed, while a small figure of Peeping Tom watches.

Even today, almost years after the original events, the story of Lady Godiva lives on in Coventry. Godiva lived another decade after her husband's death and was supposedly buried in the Priory. However, it seems much more likely that she was buried at Evesham Abbey in Worcestershire. National Trust membership. Membership details. About the National Trust.

This queen was buried in three places; her entrails at Lincoln Cathedral, her heart at Blackfriars in London, and her body at Westminster Abbey. Toggle navigation. Best of Britain. Lady Godiva, by James Collier, c. Lady Godiva statue, Broadgate, Coventry. History of Wales. History of Scotland. London History. Castles England Scotland Wales. Stately Homes England Scotland Wales. Monasteries England Scotland Wales.

Prehistoric Sites England Scotland Wales. The real Godiva was known for being generous to the church. However, despite this historical legitimacy i. The story only first appeared approximately one hundred years after her death, and the monk, Roger of Wendover, who recorded it was known for stretching the truth in his writings.

The Peeping Tom character was added to the story in the sixteenth century and later became a common term for a voyeur. The sculptor, Trevor Tenant, carved the figures from wood. The clock was not received well at first, with many finding it crude; it has however proven popular with tourists and children.

On the hour, the right door of the clock opens, and Lady Godiva rides naked on her horse across the front of the clock before exiting through the left door. Meanwhile, the window above opens and reveals the face of Peeping Tom. The clock has been sculpted with detail, including a black eagle on the doors from which Godiva.

This image on a yellow background is the symbol of Leofric, Earl of Mercia. In the excitement, people climbed atop the Clock Tower, damaging the clock. The legend also lives on in the name of the local annual music festival, the Coventry Godiva Festival, which celebrates its twentieth anniversary this year. According to legend, the story of Lady Godiva was told by monks in a procession through the streets.

Lady Godiva has been the muse of many paintings. John Collier in painted her naked but covered by her long hair on a white horse covered in a red cloth. The Godiva legend has also spread far beyond Coventry in the name of the Godiva Chocolatier, a company founded in Brussels with now more than stores worldwide.