River Leam

The River Leam rises on Hellidon Hill in Northamptonshire before winding through Warwickshire. It passes the town of Leamington Spa, which took its name from the river. Near Warwick the Leam joins the River Avon, which itself flows into the Severn. The river’s earliest recorded name appears in 956 as Limenan, from the British word for an elm-tree river. The Environment Agency rates the Leam’s ecological status each year. In 2019 its overall status was moderate, based on biological and chemical tests. Biologists counted the numbers and kinds of invertebrates, water plants and fish living in the water. Chemists measured pollutant levels against safe limits to decide the chemical rating. Walkers can follow the Leam’s banks for long stretches through quiet countryside. The Manor of Hunningham lies beside the river, offering a glimpse of old stone buildings. Anglers cast for fish where tributaries such as Rains Brook and the River Itchen join the main stream. The elm-lined banks recall the name the river carried more than a thousand years ago.