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Shustoke Reservoir – Maxstoke Priory Ruins loop from Sutton Coldfield

Shustoke Reservoir – Maxstoke Priory Ruins loop from Sutton Coldfield

Moderate

4.5

(2)

riders

Shustoke Reservoir – Maxstoke Priory Ruins loop from Sutton Coldfield

02:57

62.8km

400m

Road cycling

Moderate road ride. Good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: May 28, 2026

Waypoints

Start point

Train Station

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11.3 km

Kingsbury Water Park Visitor Centre

Highlight • Natural

Good place to stop and take a seat and a cuppa, wether walking or cycling.

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24.0 km

Shustoke Reservoir

Highlight • Lake

Shustoke Reservoir is managed by Severn Trent. The reservoir was completed in 1884 to provide water for Birmingham. Nowerdays the reservoir supplies Nuneaton and the surrounding area.

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28.6 km

Maxstoke Priory Ruins

Highlight • Historical Site

Maxstoke is a hamlet built on the site of the old priory. It's one of the most picturesque highlights of the North Warwickshire Cycleway.

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29.6 km

Water Wood

Forest

30.3 km

Fast Downhill Section Towards Maxstoke

Highlight • Trail

Fast downhill section towards Maxstoke.

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32.0 km

View of Green End Road Farmland

Highlight • Natural

This charming country road offers scenic views of rolling hills and surrounding farmland, especially beautiful in spring when the flowers are in full bloom.

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38.7 km

St Leonard's Church, Over Whitacre

Highlight • Historical Site

The church, dating from 1766, was built early in the reign of George III in an Italian classical style typical of the period. However, this was not the first church building on the site. Over Whitacre church certainly dates from Norman times and may be of earlier foundation. Although no evidence of this early church building survives above ground, an item of the old church’s furniture is now to be found in Holy Trinity church at Sutton Coldfield.

The 12th-century stone font from Over Whitacre was thrown out when the church was rebuilt. The font was taken to a local pub, either the nearby Owl Inn (now gone) or downhill to the Bull at Furnace End. It was rediscovered in 1856 and presented to Holy Trinity. Documentary evidence of the church here is available from the early 13th century. The advowson of Over Whitacre was given in 1203 by Jordan de Witacre to Christine, prioress of Markyate, Bedfordshire. This gave the priory, amongst other things, the right to appoint a priest to Over Whitacre. Nether Whitacre and Lea Marston were also similarly subject to Markyate Priory. I

n a document of 1280 confirming the agreement the church is referred to as the ‘chapel’ of Over Whitacre, suggesting that it was subsidiary to Coleshill at that time. Whitacre was still appropriated to Markyate at the time of Henry VIII’s valuation, the Valor Ecclesiasticus of 1535, but no vicarage had been endowed and the chapel was probably served by a priest from Coleshill.

Over Whitacre had probably become a parish church in its own right by the end of the 16th century. The earliest evidence on the site is the stump of a medieval churchyard cross which dates from c1500. In 1766 the church was completely rebuilt. The architect builder/s are thought to have been either or both William and David Hiorn of Warwick. They were neo-classical architects of some local repute having worked in Warwick, on west midland country houses and on churches including Holy Trinity church in Sutton Coldfield in 1760. It may be that the new church was built on the foundations of the old. It is possible too that between the internal plaster and the external sandstone ashlar remains of the medieval building survive. The church originally had a dome on the top of the tower, but this was replaced by a spire in 1850.

There are two bells here, which are perfectly ringable. They are hung on one level in a modern lowside metal frame, side by side and both swinging east-west. The treble sounds note E and the tenor Bb. Frame and fittings by Taylors, 1933 at which time the treble was retuned. They have cast iron, canon-retaining, headstocks. Effectively, they are hung as would be any ring at that time.

Tilley and Walters give the inscriptions in their book, “The Church Bells of Warwickshire”

Source: warksbells.co.uk

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