Southam
Encyclopedia
Southam is a small market town
in the Stratford-on-Avon district
of Warwickshire
, England
. The 2001 census recorded a population of 6,509 in the town.
The nearest sizeable town to Southam is Leamington Spa
, located roughly 7 miles (11 km) to the west. The towns of Rugby
and Daventry
are also within 10 miles (16 km) of Southam, with Banbury
14 miles (22.5 km) to the south and the major city of Coventry
some 13 miles (21 km) to the north.
Southam is located on the River Stowe (known by many of the locals as "the Brook"), which flows from Napton-on-the-Hill
and joins Warwickshire's River Itchen
just outside of the town, which in turn flows into the River Leam
.
granted by King Ethelred the Unready
. Southam was mentioned in the Domesday Book
as "Sucham". A market
was established in 1227.
In the 1540s the town was visited by John Leland, who described it as 'a modest market town of a single street'. Southam is also mentioned in Henry VI, part 3
by William Shakespeare
in Act V, Scene I (Lines 10–16).
King Charles I
passed through Southam just prior to the outbreak of the Civil War
, and apparently was not made welcome by the townsfolk, who refused to ring the church bells.
On 23 August 1642, a skirmish took place outside of the town between Parliamentary forces led by Lord Brooke and Royalist forces commanded by the Earl of Northampton
. Later in 1642, Charles stayed in Southam before the Battle of Edgehill
, and in 1645, Oliver Cromwell
stayed in the town along with 7,000 Roundhead
troops.
In the days of the stagecoach
Southam became an important stop on the coaching road from Coventry
to Oxford
and many old coaching inn
s remain in the town. Few buildings in Southam date from before 1741, for in that year a large fire devastated the town.
A historical curiosity about Southam is that in mediaeval times, the town minted its own local currency
. This was done because local people found ordinary coins too high in value for everyday use. The old mint house is now a pub called the Old Mint. During the Civil War
King Charles used the mint to make new coins to pay his soldiers.
Between 1894 and 1974 Southam was the administrative centre of the Southam Rural District
; since then it has been in the Stratford-on-Avon District
of Warwickshire. Southam was in the parliamentary constituency of Stratford-on-Avon
until the boundary changes approved by Parliament in June 2007 when it became part of the new constituency of Kenilworth and Southam. The constituency was first contested in the United Kingdom general election, 2010.
To the south of the town there is a small industrial estate which is a significant source of employment in Southam. Europe's largest privately owned video games company Codemasters
is also based nearby, having been started by two locals.
The dominant rock type for the area is Blue Lias clay
. Hence until quite recently there was a medium sized cement
factory with associated quarry
ing a mile north of the town. This works was served by both rail and canal transport — the latter being a short arm from the Grand Union Canal
. Cement production was halted and moved to nearby Rugby
, in the late-1990s. However, quarrying at the site continues.
(Southam College
) that has around 1,000 pupils from Southam and the local villages. There is a leisure centre with a swimming pool and gym next to the school. The shopping area of the town straddles the Coventry-Banbury road, now bypassed; at the southern end is Market Hill which hosts a farmers' market
on the 2nd Saturday of each month. Every Tuesday there is a market in the Wood Street car park. There is a fair range of shops, including a couple of small supermarkets and several banks. The town's pubs include the Old Mint, one of the oldest inns in the county.
Southam also has a Retained Fire Station and a now 24-hour police station.
There are four Christian places of worship. St James's parish church is behind Market Hill. Both the Catholic church and the Congregational chapel are on Wood Street, and the new Community Church is accessed directly from the main shopping street. There is also a small but active Bahá´í
group in the town.
Southam Rugby Club was formed in 1962. In 1969 the club purchased pitches at Kineton Road and started playing home games. Over three years money was raised to build the club house which was constructed mainly by the players and was opened in 1972. Today the club plays in the Midland league and has 3 senior sides and a colts team.
Additionally Southam is home to 2028 (Southam) Squadron Air Training Corps. An RAF (Royal Air Force
) sponsored youth organisation for 13–20 years olds. The squadron is based in Millar House, Wattons Lane.
On 30th August 2010, a Tesco
store opened on Northfield Road Industrial Estate. The purpose of which was to supply the residents of the market town of Southam to be able to purchase their food shopping closer to home and not have to travel to Leamington Spa
, Banbury
, and Coventry
. The store is of no means big but supply's a substantial amount of foods including fresh fruit and vegetables, butchery, bakery and fishmongers along with a 'Foreign Foods' aisle.
and Daventry
(on the A425
) and between Coventry
and Banbury
(on the A423
). The A426
connects it to Rugby
. Southam is roughly 15 miles from Stratford-upon-Avon
, the birthplace of Shakespeare
. About 8 miles from Southam is the M40 motorway
.
Southam was never directly served by a railway and had no station itself. However, the ex-LNWR
(later British Railways) line from Weedon
to Leamington Spa ran a couple of miles to the north of Southam, the nearest station being Southam and Long Itchington railway station
.
The GWR
(later British Railways) London to Birmingham main line (the Chiltern Main Line
as it is now called) passed three miles southwest of Southam and the nearest station was at Harbury
(Southam Road & Harbury)
. Today, the closest railway station is at Leamington Spa
.
: Steve Beaton
(in 1996); and Trina Gulliver
(eight times women's championship), who has resided in Somerset
since 2008.
The EastEnders
actor Adam Woodyatt
(Ian Beale) has a home in Southam, some considerable distance from Borehamwood
, Hertfordshire
, where the programme is filmed.
Arthur Cox
, who managed the football clubs Newcastle United
and Derby County
between 1980 and 1993, was born at Southam in December, 1939.
Flight Lieutenant
Jon Egging, former Air Cadet at 2028 Squadron Air Training Corps
, Red Arrows
display team pilot between 2009 and 2011 seasons.
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
in the Stratford-on-Avon district
Stratford-on-Avon (district)
Stratford-on-Avon is a local government district of southern Warwickshire in England.The district is named "Stratford-on-Avon" to distinguish it from its main town of Stratford-upon-Avon where the district council is based, although this name often causes confusion .The district is mostly rural and...
of Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The 2001 census recorded a population of 6,509 in the town.
The nearest sizeable town to Southam is Leamington Spa
Leamington Spa
Royal Leamington Spa, commonly known as Leamington Spa or Leamington or Leam to locals, is a spa town in central Warwickshire, England. Formerly known as Leamington Priors, its expansion began following the popularisation of the medicinal qualities of its water by Dr Kerr in 1784, and by Dr Lambe...
, located roughly 7 miles (11 km) to the west. The towns of Rugby
Rugby, Warwickshire
Rugby is a market town in Warwickshire, England, located on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 making it the second largest town in the county...
and Daventry
Daventry
Daventry is a market town in Northamptonshire, England, with a population of 22,367 .-Geography:The town is also the administrative centre of the larger Daventry district, which has a population of 71,838. The town is 77 miles north-northwest of London, 13.9 miles west of Northampton and 10.2...
are also within 10 miles (16 km) of Southam, with Banbury
Banbury
Banbury is a market town and civil parish on the River Cherwell in the Cherwell District of Oxfordshire. It is northwest of London, southeast of Birmingham, south of Coventry and north northwest of the county town of Oxford...
14 miles (22.5 km) to the south and the major city of Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
some 13 miles (21 km) to the north.
Southam is located on the River Stowe (known by many of the locals as "the Brook"), which flows from Napton-on-the-Hill
Napton-on-the-Hill
Napton-on-the-Hill, , is a village and civil parish east of Southam in Warwickshire, England.-Manor:...
and joins Warwickshire's River Itchen
River Itchen, Warwickshire
The River Itchen flows through east Warwickshire in England. It is a small river, about long, and its general course is from south to north....
just outside of the town, which in turn flows into the River Leam
River Leam
The River Leam is a river which flows through eastern and southern Warwickshire. It is a small river about 25–30 miles long. The town of Leamington Spa lies on, and is named after, the River Leam....
.
History
Southam can trace its history back to Anglo-Saxon times; a charter exists from 998998
Year 998 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Otto III retakes the city of Rome and reinstates his cousin, Pope Gregory V, after mutilating and blinding his rival, Antipope John XVI.* St...
granted by King Ethelred the Unready
Ethelred the Unready
Æthelred the Unready, or Æthelred II , was king of England . He was son of King Edgar and Queen Ælfthryth. Æthelred was only about 10 when his half-brother Edward was murdered...
. Southam was mentioned in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
as "Sucham". A market
Market
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
was established in 1227.
In the 1540s the town was visited by John Leland, who described it as 'a modest market town of a single street'. Southam is also mentioned in Henry VI, part 3
Henry VI, part 3
Henry VI, Part 3 or The Third Part of Henry the Sixt is a history play by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1591, and set during the lifetime of King Henry VI of England...
by William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
in Act V, Scene I (Lines 10–16).
WARWICK
Say, Somerville, what says my loving son?
And, by thy guess, how nigh is Clarence now?
SOMERSET
At Southam I did leave him with his forces,
And do expect him here some two hours hence.
WARWICK
Then Clarence is at hand, I hear his drum.
SOMERSET
It is not his, my lord; here Southam lies:
The drum your honour hears marcheth from Warwick.
King Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
passed through Southam just prior to the outbreak of the Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, and apparently was not made welcome by the townsfolk, who refused to ring the church bells.
On 23 August 1642, a skirmish took place outside of the town between Parliamentary forces led by Lord Brooke and Royalist forces commanded by the Earl of Northampton
Earl of Northampton
Earl of Northampton is a title that has been created five times.-Earls in for the Honour of Huntingdon, first Creation :*Waltheof *Maud, Countess of Huntingdon** m. Simon I de Senlis** m...
. Later in 1642, Charles stayed in Southam before the Battle of Edgehill
Battle of Edgehill
The Battle of Edgehill was the first pitched battle of the First English Civil War. It was fought near Edge Hill and Kineton in southern Warwickshire on Sunday, 23 October 1642....
, and in 1645, Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
stayed in the town along with 7,000 Roundhead
Roundhead
"Roundhead" was the nickname given to the supporters of the Parliament during the English Civil War. Also known as Parliamentarians, they fought against King Charles I and his supporters, the Cavaliers , who claimed absolute power and the divine right of kings...
troops.
In the days of the stagecoach
Stagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
Southam became an important stop on the coaching road from Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
to Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
and many old coaching inn
Coaching inn
In Europe, from approximately the mid-17th century for a period of about 200 years, the coaching inn, sometimes called a coaching house or staging inn, was a vital part of the inland transport infrastructure, as an inn serving coach travelers...
s remain in the town. Few buildings in Southam date from before 1741, for in that year a large fire devastated the town.
A historical curiosity about Southam is that in mediaeval times, the town minted its own local currency
Local currency
In economics, a local currency, in its common usage, is a currency not backed by a national government , and intended to trade only in a small area. As a tool of fiscal localism, local moneys can raise awareness of the state of the local economy, especially among those who may be unfamiliar or...
. This was done because local people found ordinary coins too high in value for everyday use. The old mint house is now a pub called the Old Mint. During the Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
King Charles used the mint to make new coins to pay his soldiers.
Between 1894 and 1974 Southam was the administrative centre of the Southam Rural District
Southam Rural District
Southam Rural District was a rural district in the county of Warwickshire, England. It was created in 1894 and consisted of 26 parishes, a further six parishes were added in 1932, when the Farnborough Rural District was disbanded...
; since then it has been in the Stratford-on-Avon District
Stratford-on-Avon (district)
Stratford-on-Avon is a local government district of southern Warwickshire in England.The district is named "Stratford-on-Avon" to distinguish it from its main town of Stratford-upon-Avon where the district council is based, although this name often causes confusion .The district is mostly rural and...
of Warwickshire. Southam was in the parliamentary constituency of Stratford-on-Avon
Stratford-on-Avon (UK Parliament constituency)
-By-elections:-Notes and references:...
until the boundary changes approved by Parliament in June 2007 when it became part of the new constituency of Kenilworth and Southam. The constituency was first contested in the United Kingdom general election, 2010.
Historic population
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1801 | 900 |
| 1901 | 1,800 |
| 1971 | 4,435 |
| 1991 | 5,304 |
| 2001 | 6,509 |
Economy
Due to its good road links, Southam has become a commuter town in recent years due in part to its location. Taxi firms and minicab companies operate within the area and frequent bus services serve Southam and the local villages.To the south of the town there is a small industrial estate which is a significant source of employment in Southam. Europe's largest privately owned video games company Codemasters
Codemasters
The Codemasters Software Company Limited, or Codemasters is a British video game developer founded by Richard and David Darling in 1986...
is also based nearby, having been started by two locals.
The dominant rock type for the area is Blue Lias clay
Blue Lias
The Blue Lias is a geologic formation in southern, eastern and western England and parts of South Wales, part of the Lias Group. The Blue Lias consists of a sequence of limestone and shale layers, laid down in latest Triassic and early Jurassic times, between 195 and 200 million years ago...
. Hence until quite recently there was a medium sized cement
Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
factory with associated quarry
Quarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. Quarries are generally used for extracting building materials, such as dimension stone, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, and gravel. They are often collocated with concrete and asphalt plants due to the requirement...
ing a mile north of the town. This works was served by both rail and canal transport — the latter being a short arm from the Grand Union Canal
Grand Union Canal
The Grand Union Canal in England is part of the British canal system. Its main line connects London and Birmingham, stretching for 137 miles with 166 locks...
. Cement production was halted and moved to nearby Rugby
Rugby, Warwickshire
Rugby is a market town in Warwickshire, England, located on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 making it the second largest town in the county...
, in the late-1990s. However, quarrying at the site continues.
Facilities
Southam has three primary schools and a secondary schoolSecondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
(Southam College
Southam College
Southam College is a medium sized comprehensive located in Southam, Warwickshire.The college achieved its Specialist Technology Status in 2000, Humanities College Status in 2004 and Vocational College Status in 2006. The college has received a national award in recognition of its involvement in the...
) that has around 1,000 pupils from Southam and the local villages. There is a leisure centre with a swimming pool and gym next to the school. The shopping area of the town straddles the Coventry-Banbury road, now bypassed; at the southern end is Market Hill which hosts a farmers' market
Farmers' market
A farmers' market consists of individual vendors—mostly farmers—who set up booths, tables or stands, outdoors or indoors, to sell produce, meat products, fruits and sometimes prepared foods and beverages...
on the 2nd Saturday of each month. Every Tuesday there is a market in the Wood Street car park. There is a fair range of shops, including a couple of small supermarkets and several banks. The town's pubs include the Old Mint, one of the oldest inns in the county.
Southam also has a Retained Fire Station and a now 24-hour police station.
There are four Christian places of worship. St James's parish church is behind Market Hill. Both the Catholic church and the Congregational chapel are on Wood Street, and the new Community Church is accessed directly from the main shopping street. There is also a small but active Bahá´í
Bahá'í Faith in England
The Bahá'í Faith in England started with the earliest mentions of the predecessor of the Bahá'í Faith, the Báb, in The Times on 1 November 1845, only a little over a year after the Báb first stated his mission. Today there are Bahá'í communities across the country from Carlisle to...
group in the town.
Southam Rugby Club was formed in 1962. In 1969 the club purchased pitches at Kineton Road and started playing home games. Over three years money was raised to build the club house which was constructed mainly by the players and was opened in 1972. Today the club plays in the Midland league and has 3 senior sides and a colts team.
Additionally Southam is home to 2028 (Southam) Squadron Air Training Corps. An RAF (Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
) sponsored youth organisation for 13–20 years olds. The squadron is based in Millar House, Wattons Lane.
On 30th August 2010, a Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
store opened on Northfield Road Industrial Estate. The purpose of which was to supply the residents of the market town of Southam to be able to purchase their food shopping closer to home and not have to travel to Leamington Spa
Leamington Spa
Royal Leamington Spa, commonly known as Leamington Spa or Leamington or Leam to locals, is a spa town in central Warwickshire, England. Formerly known as Leamington Priors, its expansion began following the popularisation of the medicinal qualities of its water by Dr Kerr in 1784, and by Dr Lambe...
, Banbury
Banbury
Banbury is a market town and civil parish on the River Cherwell in the Cherwell District of Oxfordshire. It is northwest of London, southeast of Birmingham, south of Coventry and north northwest of the county town of Oxford...
, and Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
. The store is of no means big but supply's a substantial amount of foods including fresh fruit and vegetables, butchery, bakery and fishmongers along with a 'Foreign Foods' aisle.
Transport links
Southam is located between Leamington SpaLeamington Spa
Royal Leamington Spa, commonly known as Leamington Spa or Leamington or Leam to locals, is a spa town in central Warwickshire, England. Formerly known as Leamington Priors, its expansion began following the popularisation of the medicinal qualities of its water by Dr Kerr in 1784, and by Dr Lambe...
and Daventry
Daventry
Daventry is a market town in Northamptonshire, England, with a population of 22,367 .-Geography:The town is also the administrative centre of the larger Daventry district, which has a population of 71,838. The town is 77 miles north-northwest of London, 13.9 miles west of Northampton and 10.2...
(on the A425
A425 road
The A425 road is an A road in England, which runs between Daventry in Northamptonshire and Warwick in Warwickshire via Staverton, Lower Shuckburgh and Southam.At Southam it links with the A426 as well as the A423....
) and between Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
and Banbury
Banbury
Banbury is a market town and civil parish on the River Cherwell in the Cherwell District of Oxfordshire. It is northwest of London, southeast of Birmingham, south of Coventry and north northwest of the county town of Oxford...
(on the A423
A423 road
The A423 road is a primary A road in England which leads from central Banbury to the A45 near Coventry. It starts in Banbury town centre as Southam Road and goes through the Southam Road Industrial Estate, then just north of Banbury it crosses over the M40, from there it passes close to several...
). The A426
A426 road
The A426 road is a road in England which runs from the city of Leicester to the market town of Southam in Warwickshire via the towns of Lutterworth and Rugby.-History:...
connects it to Rugby
Rugby, Warwickshire
Rugby is a market town in Warwickshire, England, located on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 making it the second largest town in the county...
. Southam is roughly 15 miles from Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon is a market town and civil parish in south Warwickshire, England. It lies on the River Avon, south east of Birmingham and south west of Warwick. It is the largest and most populous town of the District of Stratford-on-Avon, which uses the term "on" to indicate that it covers...
, the birthplace of Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
. About 8 miles from Southam is the M40 motorway
M40 motorway
The M40 motorway is a motorway in the British transport network that forms a major part of the connection between London and Birmingham. Part of this road forms a section of the unsigned European route E05...
.
Southam was never directly served by a railway and had no station itself. However, the ex-LNWR
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
(later British Railways) line from Weedon
Weedon Bec
Weedon Bec , usually just called "Weedon", is a large village and parish in the district of Daventry, Northamptonshire, England. It lies close to the source of the River Nene.-Geography:...
to Leamington Spa ran a couple of miles to the north of Southam, the nearest station being Southam and Long Itchington railway station
Southam and Long Itchington railway station
Southam and Long Itchington railway station was a railway station that served the villages of Southam and Long Itchington in Warwickshire, England...
.
The GWR
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
(later British Railways) London to Birmingham main line (the Chiltern Main Line
Chiltern Main Line
The Chiltern Main Line is an inter-urban, regional and commuter railway, part of the British railway system. It links London and Birmingham on a 112-mile route via the towns of High Wycombe, Banbury, and Leamington Spa...
as it is now called) passed three miles southwest of Southam and the nearest station was at Harbury
Harbury
Harbury is a village and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district of Warwickshire, England. In the 2001 census it had a population of 2,485....
(Southam Road & Harbury)
Southam Road and Harbury railway station
Southam Road and Harbury railway station was a railway station a mile east of Harbury, Warwickshire.-History:The station was on the Birmingham and Oxford Junction Railway, which was taken over by the Great Western Railway prior to opening from to Birmingham on 1 October 1852; Southam Road and...
. Today, the closest railway station is at Leamington Spa
Leamington Spa railway station
Leamington Spa railway station serves the town of Leamington Spa, in Warwickshire, England. It is situated on Old Warwick Road towards the southern edge of the town centre.-History:...
.
Famous people
Despite Southam's relatively small size it was home to two winners of the World Professional Darts ChampionshipWorld Professional Darts Championship
The World Professional Darts Championship is one of the most important tournaments in the darts calendar. Originally held as an annual event between 1978 and 1993, players then broke off into two separate organisations after a controversial split in the game...
: Steve Beaton
Steve Beaton
Steve Beaton is an English professional darts player for the Professional Darts Corporation...
(in 1996); and Trina Gulliver
Trina Gulliver
Trina Gulliver is an English professional darts player. She is the nine-time Women's World Professional Darts Champion of the British Darts Organisation. Her nickname is the 'Golden Girl' and has been sponsored by the leading Global Darts Brand Winmau for over 10 years...
(eight times women's championship), who has resided in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
since 2008.
The EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
actor Adam Woodyatt
Adam Woodyatt
Adam Brinley Woodyatt is an English actor and media personality, best known for his role as Ian Beale in the long-running BBC soap opera EastEnders...
(Ian Beale) has a home in Southam, some considerable distance from Borehamwood
Borehamwood
-Film industry:Since the 1920s, the town has been home to several film studios and many shots of its streets are included in final cuts of 20th century British films. This earned it the nickname of the "British Hollywood"...
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, where the programme is filmed.
Arthur Cox
Arthur Cox
Arthur Cox , is a British actor of television and film.His most regular role was as George, the driver of Jim Hacker in the comedy Yes Minister. His other television credits include The Avengers, Terry and June, and Harbour Lights...
, who managed the football clubs Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
and Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
between 1980 and 1993, was born at Southam in December, 1939.
Flight Lieutenant
Flight Lieutenant
Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...
Jon Egging, former Air Cadet at 2028 Squadron Air Training Corps
Air Training Corps
The Air Training Corps , commonly known as the Air Cadets, is a cadet organisation based in the United Kingdom. It is a voluntary youth group which is part of the Air Cadet Organisation and the Royal Air Force . It is supported by the Ministry of Defence, with a regular RAF Officer, currently Air...
, Red Arrows
Red Arrows
The Red Arrows, officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, is the aerobatics display team of the Royal Air Force based at RAF Scampton, but due to move to RAF Waddington in 2011...
display team pilot between 2009 and 2011 seasons.
Nearby places
- Nearby towns and cities: CoventryCoventryCoventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
, DaventryDaventryDaventry is a market town in Northamptonshire, England, with a population of 22,367 .-Geography:The town is also the administrative centre of the larger Daventry district, which has a population of 71,838. The town is 77 miles north-northwest of London, 13.9 miles west of Northampton and 10.2...
, Leamington SpaLeamington SpaRoyal Leamington Spa, commonly known as Leamington Spa or Leamington or Leam to locals, is a spa town in central Warwickshire, England. Formerly known as Leamington Priors, its expansion began following the popularisation of the medicinal qualities of its water by Dr Kerr in 1784, and by Dr Lambe...
, RugbyRugby, WarwickshireRugby is a market town in Warwickshire, England, located on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 making it the second largest town in the county...
and WarwickWarwickWarwick is the county town of Warwickshire, England. The town lies upon the River Avon, south of Coventry and just west of Leamington Spa and Whitnash with which it is conjoined. As of the 2001 United Kingdom census, it had a population of 23,350...
.
- Nearby villages: Bishop's ItchingtonBishop's ItchingtonBishop's Itchington is a village and civil parish about southeast of Royal Leamington Spa in Warwickshire, England.The village is on the B4451 road about southwest of Southam, and about northeast of Junction 12 on the M40 motorway...
, BroadwellBroadwell, WarwickshireBroadwell is a village in Warwickshire, England in the civil parish of Leamington Hastings at roughly midway between Dunchurch and Southam on the A426 road.In 1086, the Domesday Book records that the chief estate of Leamington was held by Hasculf Musard....
, HarburyHarburyHarbury is a village and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district of Warwickshire, England. In the 2001 census it had a population of 2,485....
, KinetonKinetonKineton is a village and civil parish on the River Dene in south-eastern Warwickshire, England. The village is part of Stratford-on-Avon district, and in the 2001 census it had a population of 2,278....
, LadbrokeLadbroke, WarwickshireLadbroke is a village and civil parish about south of Southam in Warwickshire.-Manor:The earliest known record of Ladbroke is from AD 998, when King Æthelred II granted lands at Southam, Ladbroke and Radbourne to Leofwine, Ealdorman of the Hwicce....
, Long ItchingtonLong ItchingtonLong Itchington is a large village and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district of Warwickshire, England. In the 2001 census it had a population of 2,161. The village is named after the River Itchen which flows to the south and west of the village....
, Napton-on-the-HillNapton-on-the-HillNapton-on-the-Hill, , is a village and civil parish east of Southam in Warwickshire, England.-Manor:...
, StocktonStockton, WarwickshireStockton is a village and civil parish, in the Stratford-on-Avon district of Warwickshire, England. In the 2001 census it had a population of 1,391. The village is located just to the east of the A426 road two miles north-east of Southam, and eight miles south-west of Rugby.Stockton's name was...
and UftonUftonUfton is a small village in the Stratford District of Warwickshire, England. It is south east of Leamington Spa and west of Southam on the A425 road. It sits on top of a glacial escarpment 121 metres above sea level which was formed during the last ice age...
.
- Other locations: Ufton Fields nature reserveUfton FieldsUfton Fields is an SSSI and nature reserve in Warwickshire, England. It is situated on the A425 close to the village of Ufton, between Southam and Leamington Spa. The reserve is owned by Warwickshire County Council and is administered and run by the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust...
.
See also
- Wikisource – The Third Part of King Henry the Sixth – Act V, Scene I - contains mentions of Southam.