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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.)

As the 17th century progressed, Romsey Corporation was keen to endorse its new status. It rented a Market Place property to be its first town hall, and eventually bought it in 1622. Fifty years later, in 1672, the town acquired an impressive ceremonial mace. It cost £10 and is still in ceremonial use as ‘the lesser mace’.