Top 5 Lakes around Blackdown

A very phallic monument

A quite pleasant place for a stroll, plenty to see and do

Formerly a fishpond belonging to the Abbey of St Mary up until the dissolution, Robin Leach dates its draining to become the oxpen meadow as c1650. The meadow was first flooded for skating in 1879, and re-flooded as a wartime water supply in 1940. By 1948 it was drained again and used for an agricultural show. The decision to flood the meadow permanently came in 1997.

Abbey Fields is set in the dramatic valley of the Finham Brook and enjoys views of the historic town and Kenilworth castle. Grassy slopes, a lake, historic buildings and veteran trees recall Abbey Fields’ past as the farmland of St Mary’s Abbey, whose ruins adjoin the park. Because of its important heritage, Abbey Fields is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

Jephson gardens is nice to sit and watch the world go by, Savi is close by for coffee and cake

The 100 acres of Ryton Pools Country Park are just waiting to be explored. The many different habitats are home to a wide range of birds and other wildlife. The excellent surfaced paths enable easy walking around the site, and provide access to an adjoining ancient woodland, Ryton Wood.

Lovely park with a great view over lake in the centre of old Kenilworth

Obelisk in pale grey granite erected in 1875 in recognition of Edward Willes' gift of Newbold Gardens (later renamed Jephson Gardens), Leamington Spa in 1846. Situated north of the Lake. Grade II listed. Obelisk. 1875. Grey granite obelisk on stone base. 3 steps to Neo-Gothic pedestal with pillars to angles with foliate capitals and arched panels carrying shields. Inscribed ‘Erected in honour of Edward Willes Esquire of Newbold Comyn to whom Leamington is indebted for the site of these gardens’. Edward Willes gave land for public gardens in 1836 as part of his Newbold Comyn development. They were known as Newbold Gardens until 1846 when renamed Jephson Gardens. Erected in 1875 and situated north of the Lake. Pale grey granite. Base of “Derbyshire stone” and other stones. Colour photographs on page 39 of 1. the obelisk and 2. the base with inscriptions (i) original 1875 “Erected in honour of Edward Willes Esquire of Newbold Comyn” and (ii) added in 1879 “To whom Leamington is indebted for the sites of these gardens”. Edward Willes gave various plots of land to the town. He placed covenants on his land by the river to preserve its open outlook, including the Newbold Gardens, former meadows which had been laid out in simply style around 1832 as walks for subscribers. The Willes family left Leamington in 1827. In 1846 Edward Willes, very ill, agreed to the neglected Gardens being acquired by the trustees and remodelled as a testimonial to Dr Jephson. From time to time the Leamington Spa Courier reminded its readers of the lack of any memorial to Mr Willes’ gifts. The Trustees of the Gardens finally obliged with an obelisk but refused to agree to any inscription which corrected the impression that had gained currency that the Gardens were the gift of Dr Jephson. When the obelisk was unveiled in 1875, the Courier pointed out that the plaque did not state why the obelisk had been erected. After Dr Jephson died in 1878 the Trustees offered no opposition to the addition of the second inscription referred to above.