Royal Pump Room Gardens

About

The Royal Pump Room Gardens is a popular open space found in the centre of Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England, next to the Royal Pump Rooms and just north of the River Leam. Despite being named "gardens" there is only one 5.4-acre (22,000 m2) area divided by footpaths with an ironwork bandstand in the centre. Opened in 1814 with the Pump Rooms themselves, to begin with, the gardens were only for the use of patrons of the Pump Rooms "to afford them pleasant promenades." The original bandstand was later erected and bands played in the afternoon and evening during the summer (and other public holidays) for those paying to use the baths.

During these early days the famed tightrope walker Charles Blondin crossed the area in July 1851. However in 1875 the gardens were opened to the public. In 1881 plans were made to build the town hall on the gardens but at the last minute a change of site was agreed and it was built further north near The Regent Hotel.

In 1893 a pedestrian bridge called York Bridge was built over the river. The second bandstand was designed by Walter MacFarlane & Co and founded in Glasgow. It was installed in 1896.

Also the only remaining examples of the original Leamington...