Interesting information about Royal Leamington Spa
Here are a few of our favourite facts about the area:
Royal Leamington Spa offers sites of historical interest, stunning regency and Victorian architecture and many choices of entertainment.
Originally a small village known as Leamington Priors, Leamington Spa became a town around the beginning of the 19th century.
In 1784 the saline springs beneath the village were discovered, and the residents began to build baths around these, claiming that they could cure or relieve a number of disorders.
The baths quickly became very popular, resulting in the building of The Royal Pump Room and Baths in 1814. The pump rooms, gardens and bandstand still remain today towards the lower end of The Parade.
After World War II the Pump Rooms became a medical centre.
In 1996 plans to redevelop the Pump Rooms to include Leamington’s library, museum and art gallery, and later a tourist information centre and small café, were put in place. The new refurbished building opened in 1999.
Leamington is also home to a number of grade II listed gardens in the English Heritage Register of Historic Gardens. Now known as the Jephson Gardens, their history dates back to 1832. The gardens are situated opposite the Pump Rooms.
Entertainments venues include a theatre, cinema, Ten Pin Bowling Centre and The Royal Spa Centre showcasing a variety of music performances, comedy and dance.
Leamington’s high street is called The Parade and has several high street shops and department stores. The side-streets from The Parade feature lots of specialist shops, gift stores, and art shops. The Royal Priors indoor shopping centre also has a number of high street and specialist stores. Leamington also has a variety of restaurants covering all price ranges.
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