Former Racquets Court Attached To North Side Of Number 50 And Within Curtilage Of Number 48

The former racquets court, now a health club, is attached to the north side of number 50 and is within the curtilage of number 48 in Royal Leamington Spa. Built in 1858 as part of the Leamington Real Tennis Club by Mr. French, it features reddish-brown brick in English bond and has continuous rooflights along its gabled roof. The building has a rectangular plan and is a single storey. The east gable end includes 6/6 sash windows with segmental brick arches, while the side elevations are plain. The rear gable has a segmental-arched louvred window set in a segmental-arched recess. The north wall has been partly knocked down for access to the printing works at the rear of number 48, which is not included in this listing.

Inside, there is a suspended floor with a swimming pool that is raised above the mid-19th century floor, retaining original markings. The structure features a 7-bay wrought-iron king-post roof with machine-sawn purlins. Historically, the area was first called Frost Street, and Bedford Street was laid out by 1810, adopting its current name by 1834. This building is noted as an early example of a covered racquets court, associated with a nationally renowned 'real tennis' club.