Romsey
Parish (Town) of Romsey and Parish of Romsey Extra
Situated on the banks of the lovely River Test, the market
town of Romsey has a very long history. People may have lived in
the area during Roman times and there was probably a religious
community here in the 9th century. Excavations during repairs to
the Abbey Church have uncovered early Saxon burials - a plait of
hair found in a lead coffin and displayed in the Abbey Church today
is probably from that earlier time. The official date of the
founding of Romsey Abbey by Edward the Elder, son of Alfred the
Great, is 907 AD. The Abbey was re-founded by King Edgar in the
960s and it was he who established the Benedictine order, endowing
the Abbey with gifts and land. His eldest son Edmund, who died in
childhood, was buried at Romsey Abbey. By the end of the 10th
century, there was a small town outside the perimeter walls of the
Abbey, whose inhabitants served the needs of the growing community
of nuns. The entry for Romsey in the Domesday Book of 1086 shows
about 100 people holding land in the immediate area. By 1300 the
town was a busy community, with a market, mills and other
industries. The Abbey itself, with at least 100 nuns, was renowned
as a centre of education for the daughters of royal and noble
families. In 1100 one of these young ladies, a Saxon princess, was
wooed by and later married the Norman King Henry I.
The story of this medieval romance is told on an embroidered
cushion in the Abbey Church. Known as Good Queen Maud for her
charitable works, Henry's wife died in 1118. Building of the
present fine Norman church commenced in 1120. Was King Henry
involved with this new building? Did he subscribe to the cost, as a
memorial to his wife, or was it simply that Romsey Abbey could now
afford a more prestigious church? We may never know .........
The Black Death brought devastation to the Abbey and the town.
Most of the nuns, two priests and many of the townsfolk died. The
Abbey never recovered its former glory and prestige and when it was
dissolved by Henry VIII, only 25 nuns remained in Romsey. They were
forced to leave in the Spring of 1539. The town of Romsey had
always been under the rule of the Abbey; now it was time to stand
alone. Fortunately for today's visitors and for the people of
Romsey, one of the first major tasks was to secure an agreement
with Henry VIII over the future of the Abbey Church - part of which
had always been used as the parish church by the townsfolk. In
February 1544, the town purchased the Church and its immediate
surroundings for £100. The Bill of Sale, signed and sealed by Henry
VIII is displayed in the south choir aisle. It is one of Romsey's
mysteries how the sum was raised; no records have yet been
found.
The town, however, was wealthy. The River Test turned many
mill wheels and the weaving and finishing of woollen cloth provided
an income for many Romsey families. Brewing and tanning were other
important industries and Romsey exported part of its production
through the nearby port of Southampton. In Church Street lived a
wealthy family of clothiers; their son was to become Sir William
Petty, economist, surgeon, inventor and a found member of the Royal
Society.
Having survived the changes and difficulties of the
Reformation, Romsey finally received its Borough Charter from James
I in 1607 but it was not until 1866 that the Mayor and Corporation
were installed in the present, purpose-built Town Hall in the
Market Place. Close by is King John's House, originally thought to
be a royal hunting lodge but modern techniques date the building to
around 1240, some 25 years after the death of King John. In 1306,
when Edward I visited the Abbess of Romsey, members of his retinue
were quartered in the House and scratched their Coats of Arms onto
the medieval plaster of the walls with the points of their daggers!
The house can be visited during the summer and guided tours can be
arranged.
Closely linked to the history of the town is Broadlands - once
the property of the Abbey. After the Dissolution it was the home of
the St Barbe family for over 100 years, then sold to Henry Temple,
1st Viscount Palmerston. Eventually the house - rebuilt by Henry
Holland to a design of 'Capability' Brown became the home of Lord
and Lady Mountbatten and a honeymoon setting for our Queen - then
Princess Elizabeth - and Prince Philip. Lord Mountbatten is buried
in the south transept of Romsey Abbey, adjacent to a 17th century
monument to members of the St Barbe family. Broadlands is now the
home of Lord Mountbatten's grandson, Lord Romsey and his wife and
children. The House may be open to the public during part of the
summer (for opening times check with the Tourist Information
Centre).
Romsey today is still an independent and very active
community, with three industrial estates providing employment on
the outskirts of the town and a good shopping centre. The Abbey
Church continues to be the focal point of the community and
attracts many visitors. Throughout the year, concerts are held
there and exhibitions are also staged - particularly during the
Arts Festival, normally held every three years. In July, the
Carnival week culminates in a grand procession and in September,
the Romsey Show draws crowds from a wide area. An illuminated
Winter Carnival is now a regular feature, coinciding with the
switching-on of the Christmas lights. The town is twinned with
Paimpol in France and with Battenburg in Germany and regular
exchange visits are made. Music, art, drama, history and all manner
of clubs and societies flourish in this community. The art-deco
cinema of the 1930's was bought by the local amateur dramatic
society who raised thousands of pounds to purchase and renovate the
building in which they stage regular productions.
Facilities are available for most forms of sport and for
walkers the long distance footpath of the Test Valley passes
through Romsey, making it a convenient overnight stop. Swimming and
water-fun are provided at the Romsey Rapids, together with a
gymnasium, fitness suite, café and spectator area.
Nearby are such diverse attractions as Paultons Family Fun
Park, with rides and attractions for children of all ages, a fine
collection of birds, animal paddocks and beautiful gardens. In the
churchyard of East Wellow Church Florence Nightingale lies buried.
She lived at Embley Park (now a private school) and paid many
visits to Broadlands with her family during the time of the 3rd
Viscount Palmerston. The Sir Harold Hillier Gardens - 166 acres of
grounds containing some 40,000 plants which originate from all over
the world - lie some 3 miles to the north east of Romsey. They can
be visited throughout the year and tours of the gardens can be
arranged. Another delight for gardeners must be a visit to the
National Trust's main collection of old-fashioned roses in the
grounds of Mottisfont Abbey. This property is situated on the banks
of the River Test a few miles to the north of Romsey. Part of the
house - once an Augustinian Priory - can also be visited and there
are restaurant and conference facilities.
Romsey and the surrounding area of the Test Valley have so
much to offer; a wide range of things to see and do and a wealth of
heritage to discover. Hotels, pubs, schools, shops and banks all
provide buildings which tell Romsey's fascinating history and a
Town Trail is available from the Tourist Information Centre. It is
a delightful place to spend a few days and whether you are visiting
the town for pleasure or on business, you will be welcomed.
The Parish of Romsey Extra surrounds the town of Romsey (or
Romsey Infra as it was known - otherwise 'Romsey inside the
bridges'), and contains a number of hamlets and newer development.
This Parish also has Broadlands, the former home of Victorian Prime
Minister, Lord Palmerston (whose statue graces Romsey Town Square)
and Lord Louis Mountbatten.