Discover the past. Help shape the future.
Lymington Sea Water Baths is one of the town’s most distinctive landmarks and an extraordinary survivor from the history of sea bathing in Britain.
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People have been bathing in sea water on this part of the Lymington River since 1755, while the present Baths trace their origins to the ambitious Lymington Bath and Improvement Company established in 1833.
A remarkable piece of living heritage
Nearly two centuries after the present Baths were established, they remain an important part of Lymington’s identity, remembered and enjoyed by generations of local people and visitors.
Lymington Sea Water Baths is one of the earliest surviving open-air seawater bathing facilities in the country. Its importance comes not only from its age, but from its remarkable scale, its relationship with the tidal Lymington River, its surviving aerating fountains and its long history as a place of recreation and community life.
Unlike many historic sites, the Baths continue to fulfil the purpose for which they were created. They are not simply a reminder of Lymington’s past, but part of the town’s life today.
Planning for the future
Lymington and Pennington Town Council is undertaking an important programme of investigation and development work to understand how this remarkable historic site can be protected and sustained for future generations.
With support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, we are bringing together specialists in architecture, engineering, heritage, business planning and community engagement to understand the Baths and explore what their future could look like.
No final restoration scheme has been decided. This stage is about gathering evidence, exploring options and listening to the community before decisions are made.
Understand
Detailed surveys will help us understand the condition of the structure, the ground beneath it and the challenges created by its tidal and marine environment.
Explore
Architects and engineers will use that evidence to develop practical, sustainable and heritage-sensitive ideas for the future of the Baths.
Listen
Local people, users, community groups and other stakeholders will have opportunities to tell us what they value and what they would like to see in the future.
Plan
Business planning, cost analysis and research into other historic lidos will help us understand how the Baths could be sustainable in the long term.
Made possible with National Lottery funding
Lymington and Pennington Town Council has been awarded £154,800 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to support this important development work.
Thanks to National Lottery players, we can undertake the specialist research, technical investigations, design work, business planning and community engagement needed to plan responsibly for the future of Lymington Sea Water Baths.
Your Baths. Your stories.
The history of Lymington Sea Water Baths is about much more than buildings and engineering. It is also the story of the people who have used them.
Perhaps you learnt to swim here, spent childhood summers at the Baths, worked here, brought your own children or simply remember how the site looked in years gone by.
As the project develops, we want to collect photographs, memories and stories from different generations and build a richer picture of what the Baths mean to Lymington & Pennington.
