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Leamington is the most populous town in the southern half of Warwickshire (the county is almost split in two by the West Midlands). The town is split north and south by the River Leam, which can flood at times (notoriously so around Easter 1998 and to a lesser degree in July 2007). The town is extending rapidly, particularly to the south. Many people commute from Leamington to Coventry, 10 miles north and Birmingham, 25 miles northwest. As a result of the commuter rush, traffic during rush hour can be quite heavy in the town.
The town is noted for its parks and gardens, particularly the Jephson Gardens, close to the Royal Pump Rooms and next to the River Leam. These were seriously damaged in the floods of 1998, but have been restored, and even improved, with funding from the National Lottery. The other side of the River Leam, on Priory Terrace close to All Saints Parish Church, features a 19th-century slipway down to the river which was specifically constructed so that circus elephants in winter quarters in Leamington could be watered. Other well-known parks include the Mill Gardens on the opposite bank of the river to Jephson Gardens, Victoria Park, the Royal Pump Room Gardens, Newbold Comyn, The Dell and Welsh’s Meadow nature reserve. The central part of the town is The Parade, a street which hosts amongst other things, a selection of shops, including high street chains and the Royal Priors covered shopping centre.
A number of students and staff of the University of Warwick, which is on Coventry's southern outskirts, reside in Leamington, adding to the variety of nightlife, restaurants and bars.
There is much Georgian and early Victorian architecture, including numerous Georgian townhouses, giving Leamington a somewhat grand appearance. It is generally considered as one of the most prosperous and affluent towns in the English Midlands. Population growth has led to Leamington forming a small conurbation in excess of 85,000 inhabitants with the neighbouring towns of Warwick and Whitnash and several sizeable satellite villages such as Cubbington and Radford Semele.
Centre of England
It has been claimed that Leamington lies near the centre of England. Indeed, a young tree called the Midland Oak, at Lillington, just to the northeast of the town centre, is marked by a plaque claiming that it is at the very centre of the country, although there may be little evidence to back this claim.
