Leave the village hall car park and walk northwards along the road through Lowsonford, passing the Fleur de Lys pub on the right. Head down to the next main junction, by a telephone box and a turning for Rowington, and turn left to follow part of the route of the Heart of England Way.
Follow the trail, ascending to a house. Keep right, cross a stile and maintain the same direction to the next field boundary. Beyond the next stile, head up the field slope. At the gate and stile, cross over to a junction of rights of way. Cross over to join a path to the left of a track and gate. Follow the narrow path between trees, hedges and fencing. Cross a stile where you emerge from tree cover, keep ahead to the next stile and then continue ahead across a large field. Cross a footbridge on the far side, followed by two stiles, with a small pasture in between, then turn left along a field path.
Cross a stile to reach the road, turn left and when it bends left, turn sharp right by some white railings. There is a sign here ‘unclassified county road’. Cross a ford via a concrete footbridge and continue along Preston Fields Lane. Pass some houses, merge with another road and keep ahead. Look for twin lock-up garages on the right. Avoid footpaths on the left and right and ahead now is All Saints church.
Almost opposite the church entrance is a kissing gate giving access to a field path. Follow it down the slope and in the second pasture, keep the hedgerow to the right. Make for the bottom corner of the elongated field and look for a gate and waymark. Cross a small river, turn right in the trees and head up the bank to the towpath of the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal at lock 36. Turn left. Pass lock 35 and continue to Bucket Lock. Beyond it is Yarningale Aqueduct.
Continue to lock 33 and cross to the opposite towpath. Keep ahead with woodland to the right and farmland over to the left. Pass lock 32, continue to the outskirts of Lowsonford and at bridge 41, leave the towpath to cross the canal via the road bridge. Return to the village.
All Saints Church at Preston Bagot, passed on the route of this walk, sounds as if it stands in the middle of a village, occupying a traditional setting at the heart of the community, in common with thousands of other churches around the country. This is not the case. The church lies surely in one... of the loneliest locations anywhere, situated on a peaceful hillside above the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal. There has been a settlement here since Roman times, confirmed by the discovery of pottery remains. The present church is Norman, though there have been many changes to the look of it over the centuries. The original structure of this church was constructed of local rubble and was no more than a basic building. However, it is said that some of the faced stones near the foundations and on the corners could have come from the ruins of a nearby Roman villa. Much of the original structure survives, though you have to peer closely to see it. To the right of the door, scratched on a stone, is a finger sundial and the font just inside the south door is 15th century. The cross wall with its Romanesque style arch is 19th century. Of particular note are the five windows on the east, south and west walls. They depict Simplicitas, Christ, Mary, Martha and St Celia and were made by Morris & Co of Birmingham, the factory established by William Morris. The figure of Christ is by Henry Dearle, a glass painter who ran the stained-glass department following Morris’ death in 1896. The other figures are the work of Burne-Jones. All the figures were at one time in the old Meeting House in Bristol Street in Birmingham but fortunately were stored elsewhere before the building was destroyed by bombing in World War II. In the 1930s, an unmarked grave was discovered beneath the altar, containing two bodies lying north and south, side by side and seemingly holding hands. There was no sign of a coffin. Some theories suggest this grave was originally outside the church but became part of the interior when All Saints was extended eastwards. It has also been suggested that the shallowness of the grave indicates a hurried burial and that those who died were victims of plague. All Saints contains a memorial to those who fell in the Great War, serving as a reminder of more recent momentous events in our long history.
The sparkle of sunlight on a gentle river as it meanders through beautiful countryside; the reflections of sailing boats on a lake; relaxing with a pint in the garden of an old English pub in a picturesque village; brightly coloured narrow boats making their way through a flight of lock gates; the imposing silhouette of an historic castle. These are the scenes that make Warwickshire a delight.
Leave the village hall car park and walk northwards along the road through Lowsonford, passing the Fleur de Lys pub on the right. Head down to the next main junction, by a telephone box and a turning for Rowington, and turn left to follow part of the route of the Heart of England Way.
1 of 5
Follow the trail, ascending to a house. Keep right, cross a stile and maintain the same direction to the next field boundary. Beyond the next stile, head up the field slope. At the gate and stile, cross over to a junction of rights of way. Cross over to join a path to the left of a track and gate. Follow the narrow path between trees, hedges and fencing. Cross a stile where you emerge from tree cover, keep ahead to the next stile and then continue ahead across a large field. Cross a footbridge on the far side, followed by two stiles, with a small pasture in between, then turn left along a field path.
2 of 5
Cross a stile to reach the road, turn left and when it bends left, turn sharp right by some white railings. There is a sign here ‘unclassified county road’. Cross a ford via a concrete footbridge and continue along Preston Fields Lane. Pass some houses, merge with another road and keep ahead. Look for twin lock-up garages on the right. Avoid footpaths on the left and right and ahead now is All Saints church.
3 of 5
Almost opposite the church entrance is a kissing gate giving access to a field path. Follow it down the slope and in the second pasture, keep the hedgerow to the right. Make for the bottom corner of the elongated field and look for a gate and waymark. Cross a small river, turn right in the trees and head up the bank to the towpath of the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal at lock 36. Turn left. Pass lock 35 and continue to Bucket Lock. Beyond it is Yarningale Aqueduct.
4 of 5
Continue to lock 33 and cross to the opposite towpath. Keep ahead with woodland to the right and farmland over to the left. Pass lock 32, continue to the outskirts of Lowsonford and at bridge 41, leave the towpath to cross the canal via the road bridge. Return to the village.
All Saints Church at Preston Bagot, passed on the route of this walk, sounds as if it stands in the middle of a village, occupying a traditional setting at the heart of the community, in common with thousands of other churches around the country. This is not the case. The church lies surely in one... of the loneliest locations anywhere, situated on a peaceful hillside above the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal. There has been a settlement here since Roman times, confirmed by the discovery of pottery remains. The present church is Norman, though there have been many changes to the look of it over the centuries. The original structure of this church was constructed of local rubble and was no more than a basic building. However, it is said that some of the faced stones near the foundations and on the corners could have come from the ruins of a nearby Roman villa. Much of the original structure survives, though you have to peer closely to see it. To the right of the door, scratched on a stone, is a finger sundial and the font just inside the south door is 15th century. The cross wall with its Romanesque style arch is 19th century. Of particular note are the five windows on the east, south and west walls. They depict Simplicitas, Christ, Mary, Martha and St Celia and were made by Morris & Co of Birmingham, the factory established by William Morris. The figure of Christ is by Henry Dearle, a glass painter who ran the stained-glass department following Morris’ death in 1896. The other figures are the work of Burne-Jones. All the figures were at one time in the old Meeting House in Bristol Street in Birmingham but fortunately were stored elsewhere before the building was destroyed by bombing in World War II. In the 1930s, an unmarked grave was discovered beneath the altar, containing two bodies lying north and south, side by side and seemingly holding hands. There was no sign of a coffin. Some theories suggest this grave was originally outside the church but became part of the interior when All Saints was extended eastwards. It has also been suggested that the shallowness of the grave indicates a hurried burial and that those who died were victims of plague. All Saints contains a memorial to those who fell in the Great War, serving as a reminder of more recent momentous events in our long history.
The sparkle of sunlight on a gentle river as it meanders through beautiful countryside; the reflections of sailing boats on a lake; relaxing with a pint in the garden of an old English pub in a picturesque village; brightly coloured narrow boats making their way through a flight of lock gates; the imposing silhouette of an historic castle. These are the scenes that make Warwickshire a delight.
