Everything You Need to Know About Leamington Spa

Our Leamington Spa Twin Summer Centres is running for the second year in a row; will you be joining us this year? If so, here is everything you need to know!

Royal Leamington Spa is a beautiful town in the centre of England and is located in the county of Warwickshire. In the 18^th century, the town was well known for its spa facilities, including Royal Pump Rooms and Baths, which were said to have healing qualities.

Fast facts about Leamington Spa

Leamington Spa achieved ‘Royal’ status in 1838 by Queen Victoria. There are only 3 towns in the United Kingdom with a ‘Royal’ prefix, these are: Royal Leamington Spa, Royal Tunbridge Wells and Royal Wootten Bassett.

The town take their biscuits very seriously; a shrine was made for some chocolate digestives that were found broken and deserted on the street. The people of Leamington Spa are clearly very kind, caring and have a good sense of humour!

Originally, Leamington Spa was a small village called Leamington Priors. It is named after the River Leam, which goes through the town.

Famous people from Warwickshire

• Mary Ann Evans was born in Nuneaton in 1819, she was a famous author who went by a different pen name, perhaps you’ve heard of George Eliot? She wrote many famous novels such as: The Mill on the Floss, Silas Marner and Middlemarch.
• Tim Pigott-Smith was born in Rugby 1946, he is an actor who has starred in TV shows and films, such as Doctor Who, Downton Abbey, Quantum of Solace and Alice in Wonderland.
• James Morrison, born in Rugby, is a famous singer-songwriter who won a Brit Award in 2007 for Best British Male. Perhaps you’ve head of his debut single You Give Me Something.
• The wickedest man in the world, Aleister Crowley was born in Clarendon Square in Leamington Spa, in 1875.

The water in Leamington Spa

Leamington’s spa waters were known for helping to make bread and preserve meat, but they were also believed to cure rabies.

A path leading into the River Leam was used by local circus people to wash their animals, including Elephants. This Elephant Wash path is still there today!

Interesting history

Frank Whittle, the man who invented the jet engine, learnt most of his engineering skills at his father’s workshop at Clinton Street in Leamington Spa.

In July 1814, ‘The Royal Pump Room and Baths’ was built, the spa treatments that they provided were said to cure or relieve many disorders, such as stiff joints and also ‘the effects of gout and rheumatism and various paralytic conditions’. As a result of the spa resort, Leamington began to attract many wealthy and famous people, who all wanted to experience the magical qualities of the water.