Southam is a market town to the east of Leamington Spa. Southam has Saxon origins and was granted to Coventry Priory in 1043. By the time of the Domesday Book the manor was known as Sucham. It remained owned by Coventry Priory until the Dissolution.
The town gained a market charter in 1227, it was well located on the intersection of a number of ancient roads including main roads to Coventry, Warwick and Oxford. Southam later gained the right to hold a number of medieval fairs. During the Civil War the Royalists had a mint creating coins to pay the troops, the building is now the Olde Mint pub! Later on Southam became an important stagecoach stop. Despite being close to a couple of railway lines Southam has never been directly served it's own railway station.
Southam has a Holy Well, which was first recorded in 998. The water from the well is said to cure eye complaints. Southam's parish church dedicated to St James dates from the 14th century.
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| St James churchyard |
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| Southam |
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| Ye Olde Mint |
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| St James |
