It became clear that this was not sufficient for the growing city, and in the 1860s fundraising began for a new purpose built general hospital.

[1] The hospital sustained extensive damage during the Coventry Blitz in the Second World War.

Much greater damage occurred during the large raid of 8 April 1941; the hospital suffered ten direct hits, which killed 21 patients, two doctors, seven nurses, and three St John Ambulance Brigade stretcher-bearers.

[3] The hospital grew, and new buildings were added but its city centre site left it with little space to expand.

However, the former nurses’ home and outpatients department, which were listed buildings and dated from 1908 and 1909 respectively, were left standing.