New homes in Southam

From centuries-old buildings to natural landscapes, the market town of Southam in Warwickshire has something for everyone to enjoy. If you want to live in a rural location with good transport links to places including Coventry, Leamington Spa and Stratford-upon-Avon, a new home in Southam could be the right choice for you.

A quick history

Up until the 10th century, Southam was a Royal manor. St James’ Church, which still stands today, was built in the 14th century and is now a Grade I listed building, while in Medieval times Southam had its own mint, which is now a pub. The well that provided the town’s water, Southam's Holy Well, is also still standing and has been recently renovated. 

By the 16th century, Southam was a market town and was even mentioned in Shakespeare’s play Henry VI. The town was later used as a stopping point for coaches travelling between Oxford and Coventry, while in the 18th century many buildings were destroyed by a fire. During the Second World War, RAF Southam airfield was used as a training base. To find out more about the history of the town, Grange Hall is home to the Southam Embroideries which track 1,000 years of local heritage.

Business and industry

Industry in Southam has historically centred around the market and quarry, but today there are a range of businesses in the town and at the local industrial estate. One of the biggest and most exciting employers in Southam is Codemasters, who are well known for designing and building computer games. 

With its good transport links, Southam is also a commuter town with nearby employers including Aldi in Atherstone, Aston Martin Lagonda and The National Grid in Warwick, Coventry Building Society in Coventry and The Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Things to do in the area

If you enjoy shopping, there are a number of small shops in the town, along with the monthly farmer’s market which is a popular place to buy fresh produce from local sellers. For high street and designer shopping, popular malls include The Royal Priors in Leamington Spa and Lower Precinct Shopping Centre in Coventry.

Historic sights in the town include Southam’s oldest structure, the ancient Holy Well, which has natural spring water and was once used to treat eye problems. Today you can get to the well along a way-marked route through the Stowe valley. The Southam Heritage Collection is a great place to discover more about the town, through artefacts and regular exhibitions.

The town has a busy events calendar, including the annual Southam Carnival, and the Christmas Lights Switch On Event and Market.

Travel and commuting

Southam has good transport links by car, with nearby roads including the A425, the A423 and the A426. There’s no train station in the town, but there are rail services nearby in Rugby, Leamington Spa and Banbury.

Travelling by car, Southam is just over 10 minutes away from Leamington Spa, 20 minutes from Rugby, 25 minutes from Coventry and 30 minutes from Stratford-upon-Avon. Northampton can be reached in 40 minutes, while Birmingham is a 50-minute drive away.

If you’re travelling to London, the car journey takes more than two hours via the M40, while the train from nearby Leamington Spa takes just one hour 15 minutes. If you’re going on holiday, Birmingham Airport is only a 40-minute drive from the town.