| Newbold Comyn | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Type | Country park |
| Location | Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England |
| Area | 300 acre (120ha) |
| Operated by | Warwick District Council |
| Open | All year |
Newbold Comyn is a park on the Eastern edge of Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England.
| Newbold Comyn | |
|---|---|
| | |
| | |
| Type | Country park |
| Location | Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England |
| Area | 300 acre (120ha) |
| Operated by | Warwick District Council |
| Open | All year |
Newbold Comyn is a park on the Eastern edge of Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England.
The first mention of Newbold Comyn in history was in the Domesday Book of 1086, which lists one of Leamington's two mills as being situated there. [1] The name Comyn is derived from the Norman Comyn family who owned the land between 1160 and 1200. [2] [3] In 1539 Richard Willes and William Morcote jointly purchased the land that was now a farm. When Richard Willes died in 1564 his son inherited the whole estate as Richard had married Morcote's daughter. At the end of the 18th century the Revd. Edward Willes built a new house on the estate in addition to the existing farm house. The Revd. Edward Willes died in 1820, and his son, also Edward, began to sell parts of the estate for building in 1823 as Leamington grew into a spa town. [4] In all the Willes family held Newbold Comyn for over 400 years, until they sold most of the remaining estate to Leamington Corporation after the end of the Second World War. The Willes family moved to Honington in South Warwickshire, and sold the mansion house to a subsidiary of AC Lloyd (Builders) in 1964. [5] The main house, which stood where now the junction of Newbold Terrace East and Fernhill Drive is, was demolished in 1965, leaving only the farm and outbuildings. [6] During the Second World War the Luftwaffe dumped two bombs on the park whilst returning to base from Coventry. The craters can still be seen. The Corporation laid out the leisure park in the 1970s and the land usage has remained the same ever since although it is now run by Warwick District Council. There used to be an old steam engine on which young people could climb and play, but this had to be removed due to health and safety regulations.
Today the park is over 120 hectares (300 acres) in area. [7] There is rugby, football and cricket. There are two children's play areas, a skate park and a BMX track. On the town side of the park is the town's Leisure Centre which has two swimming pools (a 25-metre pool and a children's pool), an aerobics studio and a gym. Fishing is allowed on the River Leam which passes through the park. The park is mainly flat but there is a hill "Observation Hill" with a beacon at the top, from which there are fine views of south Warwickshire. Near the park entrance is the Newbold Comym Arms, converted from the farmhouse to a pub. The pub serves food, as does the leisure centre cafe. The park no longer allows barbecues [8] . There is car parking at the leisure centre. As of September 2018 the municipal golf course is closed with the future of the land under review. A Parkrun takes places every Saturday morning. [9]
In late 2009 the park briefly made news in the local paper when there were rumoured sightings of a lynx on the golf course. The big cat was dubbed the "Beast of Newbold Comyn" by the media. [10]
In 2023 part of the previous golf course was repurposed into off-road cycle trails of different grades, total length approx. 4km, and which were designed as a free local facility. [11]
The Newbold Comyn Arms, formerly a farmhouse and now a public house, is a listed building located in the park. [12]
Royal Leamington Spa, commonly known as Leamington Spa or simply Leamington, is a spa town and civil parish in Warwickshire, England. Originally a small village called Leamington Priors, it grew into a spa town in the 18th century following the popularisation of its water which was reputed to have medicinal qualities. In the 19th century, the town experienced one of the most rapid expansions in England. It is named after the River Leam, which flows through the town.
Southam is a market town and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district of Warwickshire, England. Southam is situated on the River Stowe, which flows from Napton-on-the-Hill and joins Warwickshire's River Itchen at Stoneythorpe, just outside the town.
Warwick is a market town, civil parish and the county town of Warwickshire in the Warwick District in England, adjacent to the River Avon. It is 9 miles (14 km) south of Coventry, and 19 miles (31 km) south-east of Birmingham. It is adjoined with Leamington Spa and Whitnash.
Warwickshire is a ceremonial county in the West Midlands of England. It is bordered by Staffordshire and Leicestershire to the north, Northamptonshire to the east, Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire to the south, and Worcestershire and the West Midlands county to the west. The largest settlement is Nuneaton and the county town is Warwick.
Warwick is a local government district in Warwickshire, England. It is named after the historic county town of Warwick, which is the district's second largest town; the largest town is Royal Leamington Spa, where the council is based. The district also includes the towns of Kenilworth and Whitnash and surrounding villages and rural areas. Leamington Spa, Warwick and Whitnash form a conurbation which has about two thirds of the district's population.
Whitnash is a town and civil parish located southeast of, and contiguous with Leamington Spa and Warwick in Warwickshire, England. In 2001, it had a population of 7,760 which increased to 9,129 in the 2011 census, increasing again to 10,489 in the 2021 census.
Kineton is a village and civil parish on the River Dene in south-east Warwickshire, England. The village is part of Stratford-on-Avon district, and in the 2001 census it had a population of 2,278, increasing to 2,337 at the 2011 Census.
Leek Wootton is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Leek Wootton and Guy's Cliffe, in the Warwick district, in the county of Warwickshire, England, approximately 2 miles south of Kenilworth and 2.5 miles north of Warwick. It lies in the triangle created by Kenilworth, Warwick and Leamington Spa. In 1961 the parish had a population of 671.
Lillington is a suburb of Leamington Spa, in the civil parish of Royal Leamington Spa, in the Warwick District in the county of Warwickshire, England. Historically a village which existed before the time of the Domesday Book (1086), it was incorporated into the borough of Leamington in 1890. Lillington is a ward of Warwick District Council and Royal Leamington Spa Town Council.
Kites Hardwick is a hamlet in east Warwickshire, England, in the Leam Valley ward of Rugby Borough and in the civil parish of Leamington Hastings The village straddles the A426 Rugby to Southam road two miles (3 km) south of Dunchurch. It lies in the valley of the River Leam which passes under the A426 at Thurlaston Bridge, just north of Kites Hardwick. This spot was the location of frequent flooding of the road until in 2001 the Environment Agency constructed a gauging station immediately west of the bridge with associated works to ease the flow of the river.
Blackdown is a hamlet and civil parish in the Warwick district of Warwickshire, England. Blackdown is about two miles north of Leamington Spa, between Leamington, Warwick and Kenilworth. It is named Blakedon in William Dudgale's Antiquities of Warwickshire in 1656 as a district within the parish of Lillington, and as having a mill on the River Avon. Blackdown Mill on Wooton Road is Grade II listed. According to the 2001 Census it had a population of 128. From the 2011 Census population details are included with Old Milverton. Blackdown Manor is a Grade II listed house on Kenilworth Road: built in the 17th century, it was remodelled in the 19th century. Just outside the village is Quarry Park Disc Golf Club which is one of only 17 courses in the United Kingdom, and was the venue for the 2008 UK championships as well as being due to host the 2009 championships. Old Leamingtonians, the town's rugby union and Leamington Royals also play home games on the edge of the village.
Warwickshire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing Warwickshire in England. It is the second smallest territorial police force in England and Wales after the City of London Police, with only 823 regular officers as of September 2017. The resident population of the force area is 554,002.
Old Milverton is a hamlet east of Warwick and north west of Leamington Spa in Warwickshire, England, and situated in a bend of the River Avon. The population as taken at the 2011 census was 319.
Hatton is a village and civil parish about 4 miles (6 km) west-northwest of Warwick, in the Warwick District of Warwickshire in England. The parish had a population of 1,078 at the 2001 Census, increasing to 2,319 at the 2011 Census. Notable landmarks include Hatton Locks, a series of 21 locks on the Grand Union Canal. The flight spans less than 2 miles (3.2 km) of canal, and has a total rise of 45 metres (148 ft).
The Jephson Gardens are formal gardens, together with a grassed park, in the town of Leamington Spa, Warwickshire. The gardens, once a place for the wealthy to 'take the air' and 'be seen', are found in the centre of the town on the Parade, with the River Leam flowing to the south of them. One of the town's most popular tourist attractions, they have facilities such as cafes and floral displays. The gardens are often marketed in tandem with the nearby all-grassed Mill Gardens on the south side of the river. The gardens have a total area of 14.6 acres (59,000 m2) with Mill Gardens and its boating lake, both on the opposite side of the river, providing an extra 3.9 acres (16,000 m2).
The Royal Pump Rooms is a cultural centre on the Parade in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England. It was the most famous of several spa baths opened in Leamington between the late-18th and mid-19th centuries. People would travel from throughout the country, and indeed Europe, to benefit from treatments using the town's healing waters. When 'taking the waters' became less fashionable after the mid-19th century the Pump Rooms became Leamington's only surviving spa facility, later also being extended to include the town's public swimming pool. After a major redevelopment in 1997-99 the building now houses Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum, a public library, a Tourist Information Centre, cafe and assembly rooms. It is a Grade II listed building.
The Dell is a small park in the Milverton area of Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England. Although it is not well known nationally or regionally, it is a well used and popular park amongst Leamingtonians themselves. The park takes its name from the fact that it is situated in a small sunken hollow, or dell.
Victoria Park is a public park in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England. It is situated about half a mile west of the town centre and is on the south bank of the River Leam. The total area of the park as it stands today is 18.5 acres (7.5 ha).
Sydenham is an eastern suburb of the town of Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England.
