Sheldon Country Park

Sheldon Country Park
A view of the Church Road entrance to Sheldon Country Park
Type	Country Park
Location	Sheldon, Birmingham, UK
Coordinates	52.461°N 1.774°W / 52.461; -1.774
Area	300 acres
Established	1986
Operated by	Birmingham City Council
Open	Sheldon Country Park is open daily from 7:30 all year round and closes in line with dusk. Old Rectory Farm is open from 10:30 - 4:00 in winter and open until 5:30 in the summer.
Awards	Trip Advisor Winner 2014
Habitats	Grassland, wetland, old hedgerows and mature woodland.
Water	Westley Brook and Hatchford Brook
Threatened by	Expansion of Himalayan Balsam, fires, stream pollution and ASB from motorbikes.
Parking	Free parking off Ragley Drive and Elmdon Lane. Parking charges will be coming in 2025
Public transit access	West Midlands Bus - Route 72, 73, 60 and X1 West Midlands Railway - Marston Green
Website	https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/sheldonpark

Sheldon Country Park

Located in the east of the city, Sheldon Country Park was established in 1986 and is one of the larger country parks within Birmingham, spanning roughly 300 acres. The park boasts vast areas of wetland, grassland, ancient hedgerows, and some mature woodland. These diverse habitats nurture a wide range of plant and animal species. Two watercourses, Westley Brook and Hatchford Brook, flow through the park, both teeming with aquatic life. Herons and kingfishers can frequently be spotted hunting for fish along the banks. The country park has many facilities such as toilets, baby changing, a childrens playground, an outdoor gym, handwashing facilities, Rectory Lawn Picnic Area, a wildlife garden, a classroom, 5k walking route, cycle route and much more. Park Rangers are available on site to offer help and assistance. A guide map of the park is available at the Rangers' Office.

Old Rectory Farm

The most popular attraction in Sheldon Country Park is Old Rectory Farm, which dates back to the 17th century as a dairy farm. Today Old Rectory Farm is a thriving demonstration farm, stocked with Jersey cattle, ponies, pigs, sheep, donkeys and chickens. Visitors are offered a unique opportunity to come into close contact with large farm animals and to see traditional methods of agriculture. The farm was home to the celebrated clergyman Thomas Bray between 1690 and 1721. The facility, run by the Park Rangers on behalf of Birmingham City Council, is free and open all year except for Christmas Eve and Day. Seasonal activities are organised at the farm by the Rangers and Friends' group. Please note that dogs are not allowed inside the farm and that you are encouraged by the Park Rangers not to feed the animals.

Tea Room

Within Old Rectory Farm there is a small tea room serving a range of food and drinks throughout the year to park goers. Seating is available outside and on request seating is available inside. The tea room staff cannot give out hot water for baby bottles, so come prepared. Packed lunches cannot be consumed in the tea room garden, but instead can be eaten in the Rectory Lawn Picnic Area at the front of the farmhouse. During summer months an ice cream cart can convieniently be found at the entrance to the farm on hot sunny days. The opening times are in line with the farm operating hours.

Airport Viewing Area

Another unique experience at Sheldon Country Park is the opportunity to watch aeroplanes from Birmingham International Airport. This allows aviation enthusiasts to enjoy close-up views of aircrafts as they take off and land. It lies just under a mile away from Old Rectory Farm, and can only be accessed on foot (no motor vehicles).

St Giles Church

At the main entrance to Sheldon Country Park you can find St Giles Church that overlooks Old Rectory Farm. There has been a church on this site for around 1000 years. The current building has occupied the site since 1294 and is one of only three churches built in the middle ages in the Birmingham area. The font is over 500 years old, and the bell tower was erected around 1460, at a cost of “forty-two pounds, four shillings and eight pence,” as can be seen from the builder’s invoice carved into one of the pillars.

Friends of Sheldon Country Park

We are an active Friends group who are dedicated to help promote and preserve Sheldon Country Park, carrying out fundraising activities throughout the year to raise money for projects we would like to carry out on the farm. These can include purchasing new animals, new accommodation quarters and site maintenance. We also carry out brook clearances and litter picks in the Country Park. To find out more please speak to a Ranger. Donations welcome!

Information

Disabled access is good, paths are level with no steep gradients and accessible toilets are available on site. A Defibrillator is on site and can be found at the Rangers' Office. Follow bye-laws. Follow the countryside code. Enjoy the park during your visit and treat the site and other users with respect. Wash your hands before eating or drinking. Do not light barbecues or fires; please inform staff immediately if you see one. Report all issues to the Rangers’ Office and in an emergency call 999.

More information about Sheldon Country Park can be found on the Birmingham City Council website at https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/sheldonpark