Information for record number MWA1395:
Royal Pump Room and Baths, Leamington Spa

Summary A 6th spring was discovered at Leamington in 1810. The New Pump Room and Baths, later to become The Royal Baths and Pump Room, were built in 1814. The building has been frequently altered. It is situated to the north west of Victoria Bridge, Leamington Spa.
What Is It?  
Type: Baths, Well, Spa
Period: Imperial - Industrial (1751 AD - 1913 AD)
Where Is It?  
Parish: Leamington Spa
District: Warwick, Warwickshire
Grid Reference: SP 31 65
(Data represented on this map shows the current selected record as a single point, this is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent an accurate or complete representation of archaeological sites or features)
Level of Protection National - Old SMR PrefRef (Grade: )
Listed Building (Grade: II)
Sites & Monuments Record
Picture(s) attached

 
Description

 
Source Number  

1 The sixth Leamington spring was discovered in 1810. Three years later 'The New Pump Rooms and Baths' were erected, which effectively put out of business all those which had been built previously. They opened in 1814, and the following year their name was amended to 'The Royal Baths and Pump Room'. They were reconstructed in 1861 and further altered around 1887, in 1910 and in 1926.
3 1813-14 by C S Smith, but of that only the Tuscan colonnade survives. The rest is now mostly of 1926.
4 The tower was removed in 1950.
5 Photographed in 1979.
6 Included in historic town trail "Discover Old Leamington"
7 A relatively large iron roof structure covering the (then) swimming pool (120ft x 60 ft)at The Pump Room, Leamington Spa. Designed by William de Normanville and opened in 1890. Building now converted to a library and preserved.
 
Sources

Source No: 1
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Royal Leamington Spa
Author/originator: Clarke H G
Date: 1947
Page Number: 53-5, 58-60
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 3
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: The Buildings of England: Warwickshire
Author/originator: Pevsner N and Wedgwood A
Date: 1966
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: Warwicks
   
Source No: 4
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Royal Leamington Spa
Author/originator: Cave L F
Date: 1988
Page Number: 178
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 7
Source Type: Building Survey
Title: Panel for Historical Engineering Works
Author/originator: Institution of Civil Engineers
Date:
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 6
Source Type: Descriptive Text
Title: Discover Old Leamington: A Self Guided Trail
Author/originator: Royal Pump Rooms: Leamington Spa Art Gallery and Museum
Date: 2015
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 5
Source Type: Photograph
Title: SMR Card
Author/originator: MDT
Date: 1979
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: PRN 1491
   
Source No: 2
Source Type: Photograph
Title: Royal Leamington Spa
Author/originator: Clarke H G
Date: 1947
Page Number: 20
Volume/Sheet:
   
Images:  
Royal Pump Room, Leamington Spa
Copyright: Warwickshire County Council
Date: 1979
Click here for larger image  
 
The Royal Pump Rooms, Leamington Spa
Copyright: Warwickshire County Council
Date: 2000
Click here for larger image  
 
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Glossary

 
Word or Phrase
Description  
designation Listed Building Buildings and structures, such as bridges, that are of architectural or historical importance are placed on a statutory list. These buildings are protected by planning and conservation acts that ensure that their special features of interest are considered before any alterations are made to them.

Depending on how important the buildings are they are classed as Grade I, Grade II* or Grade II. Grade I buildings are those of exceptional interest. Grade II* are particularly important buildings of more than special interest. Those listed as Grade II are those buildings that are regarded of special interest.
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source SMR Card Sites and Monuments Record Card. The Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record began to be developed during the 1970s. The details of individual archaeological sites and findspots were written on record cards. These record cards were used until the 1990s, when their details were entered on to a computerised system. The record cards are still kept at the office of the Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record. back
period Imperial 1751 AD to 1914 AD (end of the 18th century AD to the beginning of the 20th century AD)

This period comes after the Post Medieval period and before the modern period and starts with beginning of the Industrial Revolution in 1750. It includes the second part of the Hannoverian period (1714 – 1836) and the Victorian period (1837 – 1901). The Imperial period ends with the start of the First World War in 1914.
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monument LIBRARY * A building, room or suite of rooms where books, or other materials, are classified by subject and stored for use by the library's members. back
monument COLONNADE * A row of columns supporting an entablature. back
monument BUILDING * A structure with a roof to provide shelter from the weather for occupants or contents. Use specific type where known. back
monument TOWER * A tall building, either round, square or polygonal in plan, used for a variety of purposes, including defence, as a landmark, for the hanging of bells, industrial functions, etc. Use more specific type where known. back
monument INDUSTRIAL * This is the top term for the class. See INDUSTRIAL Class List for narrow terms. back
monument PUMP ROOM * A room or building where a pump is worked. back
monument WELL * A shaft or pit dug in the ground over a supply of spring-water. back
monument BRIDGE * A structure of wood, stone, iron, brick or concrete, etc, with one or more intervals under it to span a river or other space. Use specific type where known. back
monument BATHS * A building, usually open to the public, containing a number of areas for bathing. In the case of such a complex containing baths for swimming, also index with INDOOR or OUTDOOR SWIMMING POOL. back
monument ENGINEERING WORKS * Any factory or site using machine tools in a manufacturing or processing capacity. back
monument PUMP ROOMS * A spa building to which water was pumped from springs or wells; usually also serving a social function as an ASSEMBLY ROOM, eg. as at Bath. back
monument STRUCTURE * A construction of unknown function, either extant or implied by archaeological evidence. If known, use more specific type. back
monument SPRING * A point where water issues naturally from the rock or soil onto the ground or into a body of surface water. back
monument SWIMMING POOL * A large, manmade pool, usually lined with tiles, rubber or similar. Can be placed in the open air, eg. a LIDO, or built as part of a covered sports centre. back
monument TOWN * An assemblage of public and private buildings, larger than a village and having more complete and independent local government. back
monument SPA * A medicinal or mineral spring often with an associated building. back

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record