Sent to Coventry

To be ostracised and shunned for some transgression or other dates from the 18th century. Its origin is obscure but common sense suggests it must have some connection with the English Midlands City of Coventry. Some sources maintain it may have derived from the English Civil War during the century before when some Royalists were imprisoned in Coventry. Coventry at the time was strongly anti-Royalist and the townspeople refused to have anything to do with the Royalist prisoners who were sent to Coventry.