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On 6th April 1607 King James I ‘by his special grace’
signed a royal charter granting borough status to the small town
of Romsey Infra. This gave official status to an informal group
of citizens who had been running the affairs of the town since the
Dissolution of Romsey Abbey in 1539. Before then the civil administration
had been in the hands of the Abbess as lord of the manor.
Romsey became entitled to have a corporation consisting of a mayor,
six aldermen and twelve chief burgesses. A town clerk was appointed
to support the mayor in his duties. Furthermore, there was to be
a local court of law under a Court Recorder, assisted by two sergeants-at-mace.
Over all, was the prestigious position of High Steward, the first
of whom was the Earl of Southampton. (Lord Brabourne, grandson of
Lord Mountbatten, is the current High Steward.)
The King signed this deed at Westminster but later in the year paid
a visit to the St Barbe family, owners of Broadlands at the time.
As a mark of his visit King James planted mulberry trees in pursuance
of his great ambition to start an English silk industry. (Mulberry
trees are essential for feeding the silkworms.)
During the Charter Year celebrations of 2007 a mulberry tree was
planted in each of Romsey Infra’s three wards. Undoubtedly,
however, the highlight of all the celebrations was the visit by
Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh
on 8 June 2007. A Charter Celebration Service was held in Romsey
Abbey. Afterwards Her Majesty unveiled the Charter stone near the
old Magistrates Court and then did a walkabout in Church Street
and the Market Place before attending a reception in Romsey Town
Hall.
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