← Back✦ Historic site

Mercian cross, St Mary and St John's churchyard

0 ha

📷 Terry Sheppard · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

WildlifeBirdsInsects

Free entryDogs welcome0 ha

Getting here

52.70825, -1.13390

Open directionsv

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

🌞Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings
✦Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting
☕Templars — a good base for a longer summer day out

🌤️ Visiting this summer

🌞Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings
✦Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting
☕Templars — a good base for a longer summer day out

Good to know

£Free to visit — no entry charge
🐕Dogs welcome

CaféParking· FreePlayground

Best for

6 activities

Wildlife

Very strong match

Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals; Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals

Free

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Magpie, Black-headed Gull, Carrion Crow +84 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Magpie, Black-headed Gull, Carrion Crow +84 more · last seen 2026

Free

Insect spotting

Strong match

Insects — 7-spot Ladybird, Welsh Chafer, Common Carder Bee +59 more · last seen 2026; Insects — 7-spot Ladybird, Welsh Chafer, Common Carder Bee +59 more · last seen 2026

Free

Heritage

Strong match

Historic site

Free

Mushroom foraging

Strong match

Fungi — Cladonia fimbriata, Illosporiopsis christiansenii, Shaggy Inkcap +2 more · last seen 2025; Fungi — Cladonia fimbriata, Illosporiopsis christiansenii, Shaggy Inkcap +2 more · last seen 2025

Varies

Seasonal nature

Good match

Plants — Common Cord-moss, Groundsel, Traveller's-joy +11 more · last seen 2026; Plants — Common Cord-moss, Groundsel, Traveller's-joy +11 more · last seen 2026

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

2 signed routes nearby · 1 public path nearby

Signed route nearbyPublic paths

Leicestershire RoundWalking route

Named routeRegional walking route

National Forest WayWalking route

Named routeRegional walking route

🚴

Cycling

92 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Loughborough Cycle Network Route 1Cycling route

Named routeRef 1Local cycle route

Fosse2Cycling route

Named routeRef 48National Cycle Network

Leicester 'Route 4'Cycling route

Named routeRef 4Local cycle route

NCN 6 Flood Diversion RouteCycling route

Named routeRef 6National Cycle Network

Route 6Cycling route

Named routeRef 6National Cycle Network

Route 1Cycling route

Named routeRef 1Local cycle route

Wildlife to spot

60,857 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

60,857 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds60 species

autumnwinter

2026

Magpie · Robin · Jackdaw · Blue Tit · Carrion Crow +55

MagpiePica pica
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
Great TitParus major2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
TealAnas crecca2025
Mute SwanCygnus olor2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
LapwingVanellus vanellus2025
Cetti's WarblerCettia cetti2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
Canada GooseBranta canadensis2025
RedwingTurdus iliacus2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
CootFulica atra2025
Stock DoveColumba oenas2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2025
GadwallMareca strepera2025
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
Tufted DuckAythya fuligula2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
Greylag GooseAnser anser2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
GoosanderMergus merganser2025
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis2025
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2025
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
LinnetLinaria cannabina2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2025
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus2025
Water RailRallus aquaticus2025
SnipeGallinago gallinago2025
Green SandpiperTringa ochropus2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2025
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2025
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2025

🦌

Mammals2 species

springwinter

2026

Rabbit · Grey Squirrel

RabbitOryctolagus cuniculus
Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis2025

🐸

Amphibians1 species

spring

2026

Common Frog

Common FrogRana temporaria

🐝

Insects7 species

spring

2026

Common Carder Bee · Dark-edged Bee-fly · Large Yellow Underwing · Eucalyptus Gall Wasp · Pine Ladybird +2

Common Carder BeeBombus pascuorum
Dark-edged Bee-flyBombylius major
Large Yellow UnderwingNoctua pronuba
Eucalyptus Gall WaspOphelimus maskelli
Pine LadybirdExochomus quadripustulatus
7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata
Rabdophaga rosaria complex

🍄

Fungi2 species

autumnwinter

2025

Cladonia fimbriata · Illosporiopsis christiansenii

Cladonia fimbriataCladonia fimbriata
Illosporiopsis christianseniiIllosporiopsis christiansenii

🌿

Plants3 species

winterspring

2026

Common Cord-moss · Groundsel · Traveller's-joy

Common Cord-mossFunaria hygrometrica
GroundselSenecio vulgaris
Traveller's-joyClematis vitalba

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

60,857 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds60 species

autumnwinter

2026

Magpie · Robin · Jackdaw · Blue Tit · Carrion Crow +55

MagpiePica pica
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
Great TitParus major2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
TealAnas crecca2025
Mute SwanCygnus olor2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
LapwingVanellus vanellus2025
Cetti's WarblerCettia cetti2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
Canada GooseBranta canadensis2025
RedwingTurdus iliacus2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
CootFulica atra2025
Stock DoveColumba oenas2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2025
GadwallMareca strepera2025
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
Tufted DuckAythya fuligula2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
Greylag GooseAnser anser2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
GoosanderMergus merganser2025
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis2025
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2025
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
LinnetLinaria cannabina2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2025
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus2025
Water RailRallus aquaticus2025
SnipeGallinago gallinago2025
Green SandpiperTringa ochropus2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2025
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2025
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2025

🦌

Mammals2 species

springwinter

2026

Rabbit · Grey Squirrel

RabbitOryctolagus cuniculus
Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis2025

🐸

Amphibians1 species

spring

2026

Common Frog

Common FrogRana temporaria

🐝

Insects7 species

spring

2026

Common Carder Bee · Dark-edged Bee-fly · Large Yellow Underwing · Eucalyptus Gall Wasp · Pine Ladybird +2

Common Carder BeeBombus pascuorum
Dark-edged Bee-flyBombylius major
Large Yellow UnderwingNoctua pronuba
Eucalyptus Gall WaspOphelimus maskelli
Pine LadybirdExochomus quadripustulatus
7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata
Rabdophaga rosaria complex

🍄

Fungi2 species

autumnwinter

2025

Cladonia fimbriata · Illosporiopsis christiansenii

Cladonia fimbriataCladonia fimbriata
Illosporiopsis christianseniiIllosporiopsis christiansenii

🌿

Plants3 species

winterspring

2026

Common Cord-moss · Groundsel · Traveller's-joy

Common Cord-mossFunaria hygrometrica
GroundselSenecio vulgaris
Traveller's-joyClematis vitalba

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Terry Sheppard · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Rothley Churchyard

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🌱Watermead Country ParkUrban park3.4 km→🏞️WATERMEADCountry park3.3 km→🌱School Lane Playing FieldsUrban park3.7 km→🌱School Lane Playing FieldsUrban park3.7 km→🌱Jenham Drive ParkUrban park4 km→🌱Central ParkUrban park4 km→

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