National Trust, Charterhouse, Coventry — Local services in Coventry

We visited Charterhouse with our 3 sons Saturday 24th May. We all really enjoyed it and spent 4 hours there. It was only day 4 after opening as a National Trust property and everything flowed really well. We arrived at 9:30. We downloaded the parking app and as we are NT members we received free parking. There was a sign to say if you have any problems paying for parking they can help you inside. There was also overflow parking. Staff were extremely welcoming. The house wasn't open until 10am so we enjoyed wandering around the beautiful walled garden first. Our children enjoyed exploring the garden and burning off some energy whilst we admired the beautiful flowers and the charm of the place. We then went inside and explored what the house had to offer. We all learned about when Charterhouse was built as a monastery and the many uses and owners the house had over the years. The house volunteers were extremely enthusiastic especially when bringing the paintings to life and thinking about how the accommodation for the monks would have looked in a fun and informative way. They held the attention of our children too and captured their imaginations. There was a half term creative activity for children where they could do nature based artwork. The staff in this area were really helpful and also included a person from the Warwickshire wildlife trust providing information and activities for children to have a go at. We were in that part for a good half hour while the kids got on with whatever they were interested in. It's really positive to see the close collaboration between National Trust and Warwickshire wildlife trust to help nature and involve children in this way. The nature sounds room was a peaceful and cool few moments on a hot day and the silent mirror contemplation room gave us pause for thought about how it must be to live as a monk. We enjoyed some really tasty bacon and sausage sandwiches from the cafe which has a great view of the grounds. The staff and service was brilliant . We finished up following the wildlife trust trail along the outer grounds of Charterhouse, where we fed the birds and the ducks with the food they had provided us with. The grounds are a stunning haven for wildlife that I never knew even existed in this part of Coventry. There's a small playground next to the river that the kids enjoyed playing on too. We will definitely be returning soon to enjoy the grounds with our...

Visited two days after it formally opened. I had read something in the media about it opening to the public but initially thought it was a building in the city centre. So pleased to have visited, it was part of Coventry's heritage I knew nothing about. It has a long History dating back to the 11C. It's renovation has revealed an interesting monastic history including some unique 13C wall paintings. It's later history is also interesting and fortunately helped to preserve it. The day we visited archeologists from Leicester university were on site, they should us some fascinating details both inside and outside. The newly restored conservatory had yet open as a café, so something to look forward to on a future visit. The coach house adjacent, and of course from a later period is due to open as a Michelin chef lead restaurant. Well worth a visit, the adjacent carpark opposite the London Road cemetery makes it very accessible.

Update, visited again 1st June. With the sun shining in the afternoon the buildings from the garden side looked wonderful. Whilst a lot of the planting is new, in the gardens at the far end of the site, it looks as though it will very attractive. The old boundary wall offers so many opportunities for further planting. The cafe is now open, in the conservatory it offers a bistro service, an adjoining room and an adjacent room offers a cafe service and independent menus. We ate in the cafe area, the service and food was very good. They were quick to point out that the bistro menus items were tapas style and recommended for two people having six dishes. For some this might be a bit expensive as they were priced at about £8 each. We took the opportunity to cross the London Road and walk round the cemetery. I had no idea it had been designed by Joseph Paxton, many of the mature trees which are magnificent date from 1840. There is a lot of social history portrayed by the headstones and their inscriptions. Well...

This is an absolute gem of a place more typical of venues miles out of a city. But this within the city boundary just a short distance from the ringroad along the London Road, opposite the cemetery itself worth a visit to see many historical features including mortuary and chapel as well as monuments

The Charterhouse was restored by local Historical Trust and transferred the National Trust which relaunched it in late May 2025 after a period of negotiation. It's future is now secured and it is presented at the standard we have come to expect:- Ample parking, free to members, lots of outdoor space with park and extensive gardens to explore, seating and picnic areas including a sheltered walled garden. A playground and the house itself, other areas are being restored and developed. Again as you expect at national National Trust Property, there is a very high standard of catering in the Cafe with tables in the house the Conservatory and outside The cafe is managed by Farmer's Fayre. A very well established company with local facilities including extensive catering and food at Stoneleigh park and cafe at Ryton Pool .

The house is fascinating with a modest charge, or free to members (the annual fee you would recover in a handful of property visits. It's even better value for couples or family groups.)

The guides are knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the property. It covers 3 floors there is small lift and wide stairs. The gem is the remaining wall paintings, sadly the largest of which only partly remain as conversion to a home included installing upper rooms and cutting doorways, but enough remains to identify the crucifixion. Large fragments of writing around the walls remain legible Guides will explain the art work writings and how alterations utilised stonework and items from nearby buildings and church. As you can tell I'm a big supporter of Nation Trust , and very please to have this local addition on...