Royal Leamington Spa
This article is about Leamington, Warwickshire. There is also a Leamington, Ontario.\n----\n
Royal Leamington Spa, commonly shortened to
Leamington Spa or
Leamington (pronounced 'Lemington') is a
spa town in central
Warwickshire,
England,
United Kingdom. In
2001 it had a population of 42,304. It is named after the
River Leam which flows through the town.
Introduction
Leamington is the most populous town in the southern half of Warwickshire (which is almost split in two by Coventry, now in the West Midlands) and as such has a more extensive set of shopping facilities and amentities than other towns of the same population. The town is extending rapidly, particularly to the south. Industry in the town is light to medium and is concentrated along the route to the M40, south of the town. Many people commute from Leamington to Coventry, 10 miles north and Birmingham, 25 miles northwest.
A large number of students and staff of the University of Warwick, in Coventry, reside in Leamington, which as a result has a vibrant nightlife with a wide range of restaurants and bars, ranging from cheap to extravagant.
Leamington is a prosperous town, although there is a slight feeling of faded glory to the place. There is much Georgian and early Victorian architecture, including numerous Georgian townhouses, giving Leamington a somewhat grand appearance. Due to population growth, Leamington has become adjoined with the neighbouring town of Warwick.
The town is colloquially referred to as Leam by some locals.
Transport
Leamington is close to the M40 motorway which links it to Birmingham and London. It is also served by the A46 which links it to Coventry.
Leamington has regular rail services between Birmingham (Snow Hill) and London (Maylebone) run by Chiltern Railways and Central Trains (to Birmingham only). It also has rail services to Coventry, Oxford and Stratford-upon-Avon.
The Grand Union Canal also runs through the town.
History
Leamington is a fairly modern town, which barely existed before the 19th century. Until the beginning of the 1800s the town was actually little more than a village which went by the name of Leamington Priors. At the turn of that century the healing properties of a spa waters were re-discovered (they had been known about since Roman times) and Leamington boasted such a spring.
In 1814 the Royal Pump Rooms and Baths were opened close to the River Leam running through centre of the town. This grand structure attracted many visitors to the town, hoping to soothe various aches, pains and ailments by bathing in pools filled with the salty spa water. Leamington soon became a popular spa resort which attracted the wealthy and famous, and construction began of numerous Georgian townhouses to accommodate visitors.
Leamington's reputation soon spread. The town gained the "Royal" prefix in 1838, following a visit by Queen Victoria, whose statue still stands in the town.
The function of the Pump Rooms changed several times over the following years. From around the end of the Second World War until 1996 it served as a medical centre. In 1996 the local district council finally closed the facility and re-opened the building as a culture and heritage centre. It features the Leamington Art Gallery, a museum and library as well as a Tourist Information Centre and café. Spa water can still be sampled at the museum.
In the mid 19th century, spa resorts went out of fashion. However Leamington became a popular place to live with retirees and prosperous middle-class residents moving out from Coventry amd Birmingham. Due to its wealthy residents, Leamington developed as a popular place for shopping.
By 1901 the population of Leamington had grown from almost nothing to nearly 27,000. During the twentieth century, the population has grown further, to over 42,000.
Leamington has subsumed the villages Lillington and New Milverton (though the village of Old Milverton still exists just outside of the town) to the North, and the area of modern and somewhat more run-down housing, Sydenham to the South.
Nearby places
- Warwick - 1 mile west (the two towns have become adjoined through growth)\n*Whitnash - 1 mile south (the two towns border each other)\n*Cubbington - 1 mile northeast (village which borders Leamington)\n*Stratford-upon-Avon - 10 miles southwest\n*Kenilworth - 6 miles north.\n* Rugby 15 Miles northeast.
External links
