This pair of terraced cottages on the east side of Church Street (previously Church Lane), numbered 15 and 17, are a survival from about 1700. No other cottages from this date or previous to it, are known for sure in Leamington Spa. There is an isolated cottage at the eastern edge of Packington Place, behind … Read more
As part of the growth of Leamington Priors, Brandon Parade was set out in the 1830s on land originally belonging to Edward Willes of Newbold Comyn. Over the years, Brandon Lodge, Holly Walk was known as 10 Brandon Parade, 60 Holly Walk and Preston Lodge. By the 1840s, there were complaints about the ‘bad state’ … Read more
Beech Lawn, “Dr Henry Jephson’s splendid mansion” once stood at the south-west corner of the crossing of Warwick Street and Dale Street. It appears that the land was sold in July 1831 to several people including Daniel Winter Burbury. Designed by a local architect, William Startin, the house was built by Stephen Peasnall and a … Read more
No 6 Beauchamp Avenue – originally No.2 Beauchamp Walk – was erected as part of a long-drawn-out speculative development undertaken by Edward Willes, an influential local landowner. A plan of 1822 shows the new town laid out for building up to Warwick Street. By 1834 the avenues between Warwick Street and the present Lillington Avenue … Read more
A few years ago, Jim Dean, of 6 Woodbine Street, Leamington Spa, CV32 5BG, put together a collection of sources for the history of Woodbine Street and he has now turned it into a more user-friendly website called “WikiWoodbine”. You can find it at https://wikiwoodbine.blogspot.com. If you can add any information, or if you spot … Read more
Sherbourne Villa Once a large, elegant and detached building, Sherbourne Villa, stood on the corner of Sherbourne Terrace, Clarendon Street and Villiers Street. In 1938, planning permission was obtained to demolish the villa and replace with 4 houses: 17 and 17a Sherbourne Terrace and 2 houses in Villiers Street. Originally, Sherbourne Villa (later known … Read more
The house I grew up in, which we know today as 59 Beauchamp Avenue has not always been No. 59, or even Beauchamp Avenue. When the first plans for the development of this part of Leamington’s ‘New Town’ were made in 1825, the street was going to be called Newbold Terrace. When it was … Read more
What’s in a name? The Newbold part of the above local name is quite simple, – the ‘New’ denoting a parcel of land newly brought into cultivation. Whilst ‘Bold’ is Saxon for a building, the two words together indicate an area of land or village more recently established than the adjacent villages. This could have … Read more
Beech Lawn, “Dr Jephson’s splendid mansion” once stood at the corner of Warwick Street and Dale Street. Designed by a local architect, William Startin, it was built by a workforce of 140 in 1830-31 for the Leamington doctor, whose advocacy of a plain diet, exercise and the taking of the Leamington waters made the Spa … Read more
“Don’t touch it with a barge pole!” A piece of advice that the Hampson family did not heed when purchasing no 8 Lansdowne Circus in 1966. Its bulging gable end wall, run down condition and an elegant two-storey staircase painted ‘fire-engine’ red did not deter us, – it was definitely a heart buy. We loved … Read more
I was recently in Clarendon Street watching the demolition of the old chapel, originally known as the Free Baptist Chapel. The construction came about when a group broke away from the Warwick Street chapel, ostensibly over the lack of provision of a school. The new chapel cost some £2, 098 and was opened in June … Read more
Sunshine House Nursery School 15 Warwick New Road The Ordnance Survey map of 1886 shows 15 Warwick New Road approached by a sweeping drive, a substantial house and attached stable block set in good-sized gardens well-planted with trees. Named Milverton Lawn, it was built for the Company Secretary of the Warwick and Leamington Bank, Hubert … Read more
Contact the Secretary, Margaret Rushton: secretary@leamingtonhistory.co.uk
September 9, 2026
August 12, 2026