Top 7 Lakes around Southam

A very phallic monument

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

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

We had to double back on ourselves slightly to see the lakes, as they were hidden behind a hedge

Draycote Water is an artificial reservoir (23 million m3), which was completed in 1969. In addition to its function as a water reserve, it is a leisure park u.a. for anglers, sailors, hikers. The rich bird life invites also to observations. Swimming is not allowed in the lake.

Excellent 8km cycling with great views and rest areas.

Documentary evidence suggests that this canal reservoir belonged to the Warwick and Napton Canal Company. It dates from the Imperial period, and is located 200m south of the western end of Stockton Locks. Opened as a commercial day-ticket fishery in 1997, Stockton Reservoir is an attractive seven acre lake set in pleasant countryside between the villages of Stockton and Long Itchington to the south of Rugby and Coventry.

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.