Attractions and Places To See around Copston Magna - Top 20
Best attractions and places to see around Copston Magna include historical sites and tranquil rural landscapes. This small Warwickshire village is notable for its historical context and proximity to ancient Roman routes like Watling Street and Fosse Way. The surrounding area features rolling English countryside, agricultural fields, and small woodlands, offering opportunities for exploration. Visitors can discover a blend of historical landmarks and natural beauty within this region.
Best attractions and places to see around Copston Magna
- The most popular attractions is Hawkesbury Canal Junction (Sutton Stop), a historical site and canal junction that marks an important link in England's canal network. It is known for its canalside inn and serves as a hub for canal routes.
- Another must-see spot is Stoney Cove National Dive Centre, a large flooded quarry. This site hosts the UK National Dive Centre and features an underwater adventure park for divers.
- Visitors also love Coombe Abbey, a country park developed from the grounds of a Cistercian abbey. The park includes 500 acres of garden, woodland, and lakeside, designed by Capability Brown.
- Copston Magna is known for its historical sites, religious buildings, and natural landscapes. The area offers a variety of attractions to see and explore, from ancient Roman routes to peaceful woodlands.
- The attractions around Copston Magna are appreciated by the komoot community, with more than 75 upvotes and 35 photos shared.
Last updated: July 7, 2026
Hawkesbury Canal Junction (Sutton Stop)
Highlight • Historical Site
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St John the Baptist Church
Highlight • Historical Site
The chancel is built of a mixture of limestone and sandstone rubble patched with bricks and tiles and has a modern steep-pitched tiled roof, modern coping and cross finial, and rebuilt buttresses. It is lighted on the east by a modern window of three pointed lights with a hood-mould and head-stops. The south side has a central buttress, and west of it are two restored lancet windows with a narrow doorway between them. The lancet to the west is divided by a transom to form a low side window. The doorway has a restored pointed arch, the splay carried down the jambs. The north side has a central buttress and another butting against the aisle wall, with a restored lancet window between them. The south aisle is built of red sandstone ashlar with a plinth of one splay, stepped down to conform with the slope of the ground. The wall is diminished in thickness by a weathered offset at sill level. It has a low-pitched lead-covered roof with a plain low parapet, with a moulded coping projected on a moulded stringcourse. The east gable is lighted by a partly restored traceried window of three cinquefoil lights under a hollow-moulded four-centred head. The south wall has buttresses at the angles, two intermediately, and a porch towards the western end. It is lighted between the buttresses by three windows similar to the one in the east wall. The porch has been rebuilt in brick and stone with a tiled roof and the entrance blocked to form a vestry. The south door, which has a four-centred arch under a square head, has been mutilated. The west end is similar to the east, but the coping is carried up as a lean-to instead of a gable. The buttress at the angle is diagonal, splayed to a point. The north aisle is built of rubble similar to the chancel and has a lean-to roof covered with lead, a battlemented parapet with trefoil panelled pinnacles at each end and crocketed finials. Originally there were two intermediate pinnacles, of which only the bases remain. The north side has diagonal buttresses at the angles, one intermediate and, towards the west, a porch. It is lighted by two three-light traceried windows with splayed fourcentred heads, the centre light trefoiled, the two outer cinquefoil; by a similar window on the east; and on the west by a trefoiled single light with a square head. The porch is timber-framed with a tiled roof, and the entrance has been fitted with a pair of modern doors. On both sides the timbering has been concealed, externally with roughcast and internally with plaster. The front retains its timbering, the entrance having a heavy moulded frame and four-centred head, carved spandrels and lintel, and a timber-framed gable plastered between the timbers. The door has a moulded four-centred head, square hood-mould, carved spandrels, and trefoil-panelled soffit and reveals which have been badly mutilated. In the centre of the hood-mould there is a shield with three swords (for Clarke).
The tower is built of light-coloured sandstone ashlar with a moulded plinth and battlemented parapet on a coved string-course; at each angle there are bases for pinnacles. It rises in four stages, diminished at each stage by weathered offsets on the north and south, and on the east and west at the first and half-way up the third only. At the angles there are diagonal buttresses rising in five stages and splayed off to a sharp edge, except at the third stages on the west side which have gabled trefoiled niches. The west doorway, in a deep wave-moulded splay, is constructed of red sandstone and has a moulded four-centred arch under a square head, with carved spandrels. It is flanked by wall aracading in two tiers of trefoil-headed roll-moulded panels. Above the doorway is a tall pointed traceried window of three cinquefoil lights with a hood-mould, the tracery and mullions being modern, and in the second stage a clock dial. The tower staircase is in the south-west angle, with a loop-light to each stage and a square-headed doorway opening on to the aisle roof. The belfry is lighted on each face by pointed traceried windows of two trefoil lights, and the ringing chamber by similar windows on the north and south.
Internally the floor of modern tiles has been laid to a continuous fall from east to west, probably taking the place of a series of steps, as the bases of the arcade pillars and windows are stepped down following the slope. The walls, except the arcades and tower, are plastered, the plaster being finished round all the aisle windows with scalloped edges.
The chancel (28 ft. 4 in. by 15 ft. 6 in.) has four steps from the nave and three to the altar in addition to the slope of the floor. The east wall has a dado of modern coloured embossed tiles, and the window a segmental pointed rear-arch. At the east end of the south wall there is a shallow recess with a segmental pointed stop-chamfered head, probably a blocked piscina. The lancet windows have splayed recesses with square heads, and the doorway a segmental pointed rear-arch. The roof is a modern hammer-beam, its trusses supported on carved stone corbels. It is continued under the chancel arch with twin trusses, panelled between with pierced panels and supported on slender stone shafts with carved capitals and moulded bases resting on moulded corbels.
The nave (48 ft. 3 in. by 17 ft. 7 in.) has a modern open roof with curved trusses resting on moulded timber corbels. Both arcades consist of five bays of pointed arches, of two splayed orders, supported on lozenge-shaped roll-moulded pillars, the arch splays dying out on the mouldings, which terminate in splayed stops on plain lozenge-shaped pedestals. At the junction of the south arcade with the chancel there is a circular stair up to a square-headed doorway which gave access to a rood, and half-way up there is a pointed opening to the aisle. It is lighted from the east by a small square-headed two-light window. The chancel arch is a modern pointed one, of two splayed orders, dying out on the north wall and on the south resting on a floriated corbel. The tower has a pointed arch of two splays to the tower and three to the nave, the inner order supported on three-quarter-round responds with moulded capitals and bases. The arch is of red sandstone with capitals of a light-coloured stone, and on the tower side in the apex there is a carving of an angel. The south-west angle is corbelled out in three steps for the tower staircase, the upper step being trefoiled, and below it there is a square-headed doorway. The pulpit and reading desk, of stone, are modern.
The south aisle (49 ft. by 12 ft. 9 in.) has a lowpitched open roof of five bays with moulded members and carved bosses in the centres of the tie-beams. It probably dates from the early 16th century; the boarding and some rafters are modern. The trusses rest on stone corbels on the south wall, and on the north the outer roll mouldings of the arcade pillars are carried up with capitals in place of corbels. At the east end, the north-east angle is splayed to accommodate the staircase to the rood. The windows have hollowmoulded reveals with four-centred rear-arches, the window to the east having its arch extended eastwards and carried down to form a recess. The east wall has an offset at sill level with a chamfered stone capping, and the window reveals are carried down as a recess. In the east window there are some fragments of early coloured glass consisting of two chalices and parts of a canopy.
The north aisle (45 ft. 7 in. by 9 ft. 11 in.) has a lean-to roof of five bays, of which two retain some of their original moulded members, probably early-16thcentury. The trusses are supported on stone corbels on the north wall and on square blocks of stone as capitals to the outer roll moulding of the arcade pillars. Over the door there is a painted coat of arms of George IV. The font, with a lead-lined basin, is built into the west side of the north arcade pillar opposite the door. It is of stone, with an octagonal moulded basin with paterae, and octagonal stem and base which has been rendered in cement. It has been re-dressed but is probably contemporary with the arcade. Near the door there is a small 17th-century oak chest with three hasps and fitted with lifting rings at each end. In the centre and east windows there are a few fragments of early glass, including a peacock and portions of a castle.
The tower (15 ft. 10 in. by 13 ft.) has a window with widely splayed reveals, and a rear-arch of two splayed orders; the recess is carried down to include the doorway.
In the chancel and aisles there are a number of 18thand 19th-century wall memorials.
There are five bells, all of 1705, by Joseph Smith of Edgbaston.
The registers begin in 1558.
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Coombe Abbey
Highlight • Religious Site
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New Close Wood
Highlight (Segment) • Forest
Honeysuckle is generally quite frequent with its tangle of fraying stems creating a lacework of twisted branches between closely growing trees and shrubs. The ground flora is equally interesting with bluebell, wood anemone, wood sorrel, foxglove, lords and ladies, greater stitchwort, herb robert, wood avens, skull cap, enchanter's nightshade, red campion and an array of fern tussocks.
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Stoney Cove National Dive Centre
Highlight • Lake
Above the surface, there is a pub/cafe and it's also a great spot to catch a glimpse of peregrine falcons/
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Tips from the Community
The church isn't level inside! It's well worth popping in. The VE Day memorial is very well done and worth a closer look.
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beautiful place to ride by, especially at sunrise or sunset. the greyhound pub is on the junction for a half time stop as well. can either head to Bedworth/nuneaton, back into Coventry Central or round to Longford.
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Stoney Cove is a large flooded quarry that hosts the UK National Dive Centre. There is a heated pool for dive training, and the bed of the cove is described as an underwater adventure park! Above the surface, there is a pub/cafe and it's also a great spot to catch a glimpse of peregrine falcons/
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Frequently Asked Questions
What historical sites can I explore near Copston Magna?
The area around Copston Magna is rich in history. You can visit the Anglican St John the Baptist Church in Copston Magna, a Grade II* listed building from 1849. Nearby, High Cross marks the intersection of two major Roman roads, Watling Street and Fosse Way, and was once a Roman garrison. The region also has numerous archaeological sites with Roman, Iron Age, Mesolithic, and Neolithic artifacts.
Are there any notable natural features or woodlands to visit?
Yes, the landscape surrounding Copston Magna features rolling English countryside, agricultural fields, and small woodlands. You can explore New Close Wood, which is predominantly oak woodland with ash and silver birch, and boasts a rich ground flora including bluebells and wood anemones. The ancient Roman Fosse Way also offers scenic paths through this tranquil environment.
What kind of outdoor activities can I do near Copston Magna?
The region offers excellent opportunities for outdoor activities. You can find numerous hiking trails, including easy to moderate loops like the 'Coffee Van – Fosse Meadows loop' or the 'Fosse Way Roman Road loop'. For cyclists, there are routes like the 'Whitestone to Stoney Cove – The Hanson Cab loop' or the 'View of St Edith's Church – St John the Baptist Church loop'. Discover more details and routes on the Hiking around Copston Magna and Cycling around Copston Magna guide pages.
Are there family-friendly attractions in the area?
Absolutely. Families can enjoy the expansive Coombe Abbey country park, with 500 acres of gardens, woodland, and lakeside to explore. New Close Wood is also suitable for family walks. For a unique experience, Grange Farm Copston offers a 'Pick Your Own' activity with pleasant views of St John's Church.
Where can I find unique experiences or hidden gems?
For a unique experience, consider visiting Stoney Cove National Dive Centre, a large flooded quarry that serves as the UK's national dive center and features an 'underwater adventure park'. Even if you don't dive, it's a fascinating spot with a pub/cafe and opportunities to spot peregrine falcons. Another interesting spot is Hawkesbury Canal Junction (Sutton Stop), a historical canal hub with a traditional canalside inn.
What is the best time of year to visit Copston Magna for walking and outdoor activities?
The rolling English countryside around Copston Magna is beautiful throughout the year. Spring offers wildflowers in woodlands like New Close Wood, while autumn provides vibrant foliage. Summer is ideal for longer walks, and even winter walks can be charming, though conditions may vary. Always check local weather forecasts before heading out.
Are there any places to eat or stay near the attractions?
Yes, several attractions offer amenities. Hawkesbury Canal Junction (Sutton Stop) features the Greyhound Inn, a traditional canalside pub known for meals. Stoney Cove National Dive Centre also has a pub/cafe. While Copston Magna itself is a small village, nearby towns and villages offer various accommodation options and additional dining choices.
Can I bring my dog on walks near Copston Magna?
Many of the walking routes and countryside paths around Copston Magna, including sections of the Fosse Way, are dog-friendly. However, always ensure your dog is under control, especially near livestock or in nature reserves. Check specific rules for any country parks or private lands you plan to visit.
What kind of wildlife can I expect to see?
The diverse natural landscapes offer opportunities for wildlife spotting. In woodlands like New Close Wood, you might encounter various bird species and small mammals. At Stoney Cove National Dive Centre, peregrine falcons are known to frequent the cliffs. The general countryside is home to typical English rural wildlife.
Are there any circular walking routes available?
Yes, the area around Copston Magna offers several circular walking routes. For instance, you can find various loops that incorporate sections of the Fosse Way or explore areas like Fosse Meadows. These routes cater to different difficulty levels, from easy strolls to moderate hikes. You can find detailed maps and descriptions on the Hiking around Copston Magna guide page.
What is the significance of the Fosse Way near Copston Magna?
The Fosse Way is an ancient Roman road that passes close to Copston Magna. It is historically significant as it intersects with Watling Street at High Cross, a site once considered the center of Roman England. Today, sections of the Fosse Way serve as popular walking and cycling paths, offering a glimpse into the region's Roman heritage while enjoying the scenic countryside.
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