Looking through the arch of the new Coventry Cathedral , one can see the shell of the war blitzed St Michael's Cathedral . It will be kept standing as a symbol of Coventry's courage during the war , and a connecting porch will be built between this and the new Cathedral . Basil Spence designed it and it will be consecrated in 1962 , though services are already held in the Chapel of the Cross in the Crypt . The building will be about 100 feet high , topped by a single slinder spire . The nave is 270 feet long and 80 feet wide . The crypt is 86 yards long , and ranging between 30 and 60 feet in width , holding 500 people . 1959 *** Local Caption *** 373703