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Stoneleigh is a village near Coventry and in fact some of it's lands have been incorporated into the modern city.
In 1154 Cistercian monks established Stoneleigh Abbey. The Monastic house flourished until it was dissolved by King Henry VIII four centuries later. The Abbey was converted into a Great House, though incorporating significant monastic remains, and was dwelt in for centuries by the Leigh family, relatives of Jane Austen. Austen visited the Leighs and incorporated descriptions of the house and the surrounding area in several of her novels.
This walk is from a guide book and wanders about the Stoneleigh area, recrossing itself a couple of times! It begins by the Almshouses in the village. The Almshouses were established by Dame Alice Leigh, wife of the first sir Thomas Leigh, for 5 poor men and 5 poor women. They still fulfill this function today though they have recently been fitted with inside lavatories. Over one of the doors is the date 1594.
We walk out of the village towards the Bridge over the young Warwickshire Avon. This bridge was built by John Rennie in the early 1800's, replacing an earlier one. It was widened in 1845 to allow two-way traffic.
The latch on the gate by the bridge looks hand made.
A short walk across the meadow and we come to the church, which has been much altered over the centuries. The earliest visible work is Norman.
The blocked Norman north doorway still has a rare carved tympanum above the doorway, with two intertwined dragons and two serpents.
The font within the church is of very great age. The Guide book says 12th century but it could be Saxon or even late Roman.
Ivy covered box tombs in the churchyard.
Set into the blocked south doorway is this inscribed stone singing the praises of the charitable Humphrey Howe, porter to Lord Leigh.
This kissing gate leads out onto the meadow
Looking back across the meadow at the church.
In 1154 Cistercian monks established Stoneleigh Abbey. The Monastic house flourished until it was dissolved by King Henry VIII four centuries later. The Abbey was converted into a Great House, though incorporating significant monastic remains, and was dwelt in for centuries by the Leigh family, relatives of Jane Austen. Austen visited the Leighs and incorporated descriptions of the house and the surrounding area in several of her novels.
This walk is from a guide book and wanders about the Stoneleigh area, recrossing itself a couple of times! It begins by the Almshouses in the village. The Almshouses were established by Dame Alice Leigh, wife of the first sir Thomas Leigh, for 5 poor men and 5 poor women. They still fulfill this function today though they have recently been fitted with inside lavatories. Over one of the doors is the date 1594.
We walk out of the village towards the Bridge over the young Warwickshire Avon. This bridge was built by John Rennie in the early 1800's, replacing an earlier one. It was widened in 1845 to allow two-way traffic.
The latch on the gate by the bridge looks hand made.
A short walk across the meadow and we come to the church, which has been much altered over the centuries. The earliest visible work is Norman.
The blocked Norman north doorway still has a rare carved tympanum above the doorway, with two intertwined dragons and two serpents.
The font within the church is of very great age. The Guide book says 12th century but it could be Saxon or even late Roman.
Ivy covered box tombs in the churchyard.
Set into the blocked south doorway is this inscribed stone singing the praises of the charitable Humphrey Howe, porter to Lord Leigh.
This kissing gate leads out onto the meadow
Looking back across the meadow at the church.
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