South Parade was the name of a row of eight houses on the north side of Charlotte Street towards the west end of the street. There was some confusion with the name South Parade because Clarendon Avenue was also known as South Parade until 1881. The name South Parade does not appear to have been used for the … Read more
Following the end of the First World War David Lloyd George’s Government passed the 1919 Housing Act (the Addison Act, named after the then Minister of Health.) This permittedlocal authorities to build Council Houses and use the General Rate Fund to finance the building of them. There was some reluctance on the part of some of … Read more
Leamington is justly renowned for its Regency elegance, its squares, crescents and the Parade. However, after the glamorous early days of the spa town, it settled into middle-class respectability and residential life. The coming of the railway in the 1840s supported both visitors to the town and an increasing number of commuters, wealthy manufacturers and … Read more
The House. Clarendon Square was laid out about 1828 to the original scheme by P F Robinson, architect, of Brook Street, Mayfair. He was assisted by J G Jackson, the land agent for Willes who was a pupil of Robinson. The gardens in the Square were planted with trees in May 1830. No 6 Clarendon Square … Read more
Milverton Lawn is now apartments, but was once a substantial Victorian family home, with a ballroom and fine reception rooms. The first owner of the house was a Leamington banker, Hubert Lloyd Esq, whose initials are still to be seen engraved in the design of the columns flanking the main entrance. In 1851, Hubert Lloyd and family lived … Read more
Marlborough Hotel started life in the 1850s as a private Regency house, Elmley Lodge, in Brandon Parade, designed by builder, Benjamin Bradshaw. It was No 4 Brandon Parade and later No 48 Holly Walk. The house was to provide the future home for distinguished nobility and clergy in the 19th century and then developed as a Boarding … Read more
The concept of constructing hexagonal houses is not a new one, with examples surviving from the 19th century. Indeed in 1941 Sir Frederick Stewart, Minister for Social Welfare in Australia, was advocating “hexagonal houses with a hole in the roof for a chimney” as a solution to that country’s housing problem, as well as providing a … Read more
Harrington House was designed by Edward Welby Pugin (1834-1875), son of A W N Pugin, and famous in his own right for designing over 100 Catholic Churches at home and abroad, despite dying young at 41. It was built in 1869 at the north-west corner of Newbold Street and Newbold Terrace on land bought by local builder and … Read more
Originally the land on which houses in Aintree Drive were built belonged to Mr S McGregor, who ran a successful stud farm. This is the reason why, after he sold the land for building, many roads were named after racecourses. Valley Road runs through the middle of the estate and on either side are Aintree Drive, … Read more
In 1860 John Gardiner sent plans to the local board to build a large house on the corner of Upper Holly Walk and Newbold Road (now Willes Road). The plans were eventually approved and the large house was built in a Classical style. It demonstrates the long period within which houses were built in the street; some on … Read more
“Binsbrook and the quaint little Alpine Bridge by which it was crossed in Portland Place have both passed away, but the sylvan loveliness of this silver streak may be easily imagined by the observer who will glance at its deep delved bed still extant at the east end of old Comber House, Milverton, facing the … Read more
Lansdowne Circus has access from Upper Holly Walk, Willes Road and Thomas Street but still retains the atmosphere of a quiet, sedate cul-de-sac to this day. This Circus was built between 1836 and 1840; the first mention of the street in the Leamington Courier was in 1835 and two newly-built houses were for sale in … Read more
Contact the Secretary, Margaret Rushton: secretary@leamingtonhistory.co.uk
August 12, 2026
August 8, 2026