Part One of Two (Click Here to see Part Two) Hunting country The large tracts of permanent pasture to the west and south of the new town of Leamington, formerly given over to sheep and cattle grazing since medieval times, was prime fox hunting country. Writing in 1841 the distinguished travel writer Dr Augustus Granville … Read more
Part Two of Two (Click Here to see Part One) A Challenge One of the best steeplechasers of the age was a horse named Vivian who just happened to be owned by a Leamington resident Captain Thomas Lamb. Lamb had served with the Bengal Native Infantry in India but had many business interest locally when … Read more
This photograph shows the ancient cobbled footpath and bridge across the River Avon at Saxon Mill. Outwardly this is just a footpath crossing the Avon, which happens also to mark the Milverton/Warwick parish boundary. The footpath extends from the river crossing as far as the Coventry/Warwick Road and is properly defined with a row of … Read more
The Poppies or Barbed Poppies – The New Memorial in the Jephson Gardens At 11.00 am on 11th November 2014 a memorial was unveiled in the Jephson Gardens, between the Aviary and Willes Road entrance. The memorial will remember all those who played any part in World War One, including the widows and orphans and those who … Read more
Ranelagh Gardens, “The Vauxhall of Leamington,” 1811-1846 Leamington’s ten acre Ranelagh Gardens were situated in old town over the canal bridge in Brunswick Street. No doubt named in imitation of the famous Ranelagh Gardens in London, Leamington’s gardens were created at a time when leisure for most people was scarce, when a holiday was … Read more
On August 2 and 3, during the Leamington Studio Arts in the Park festival, 2014, Wood carver and sculptor, Graham Jones, was seen at work in Jephson Gardens. In 2013 Graham was commissioned by Warwick District Council to create a number of wood sculptures from sections of trunk taken from an old diseased beech tree. … Read more
Local residents Graham Cooper, Michael Wills and Mr Murray all have memories of a Military Camp on the site of the present North Leamington School playing fields, between Kenilworth Road and Cloister Crofts. Access to the camp was by gates on Kenilworth Road, where until recently traces of the gateways could still be seen in the hedgerows … Read more
Following the Festival of Britain in 1951, for a whole decade, Royal Leamington Spa and Jephson Gardens became THE autumn venue for hundreds of people from all over Britain. Thousands of coloured electric lights transformed the Gardens into a wonderland for both children and adults. In August and September each year, the streets of the … Read more
Leamington, like any medieval parish, was defined by its boundaries at a time when it was important that villagers and their neighbours should know and respect the limits of the parish, – hence the yearly walking of the boundaries at Rogation time. The parish boundaries were often marked by natural features in the landscape, such … Read more
A look at a seasonal pursuit tinged with real sadness. I admit to never having owned or even to have put on a pair of ice skates and you will be pleased to hear that I have no immediate plans to take up skating. It does however say much about our indomitable ancestors that many of them looked upon ice skates as essential … Read more
A presentation by Alan Griffin of Leamington History Group, about burial grounds in Leamington Spa. Click on the forward and back arrows to navigate through the presentation. Click on the two-headed arrow symbol in the bottom right to enter full-screen mode.
