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Introduction
Welcome to Romsey, a small Hampshire town set to the east of the
River Test. The heart of the settlement is on a dry gravel platform
in the river floodplain. This rich source of food and water has
drawn people to the area since Prehistoric times. 
Romsey became a borough in 1607, when King James I granted a charter
of incorporation. In 2007, the town celebrated the 400th anniversary
of this charter with a season of special events. The highlight of
the celebrations was undoubtedly a visit by the Queen and Prince
Philip on Friday, 8th June. Beautiful weather made the occasion
a very relaxed and happy one.
About Romsey
Romsey is a friendly town to visit or live in. This is largely due
to a very positive community spirit, sustained through considerable
growth spurts over the past fifty years.
The historic core of the medieval town survives in the old street
pattern. It is dominated by the magnificent Romanesque Abbey, built
in the 12th and 13th centuries as the final church of the Benedictine
nunnery that had been founded in Saxon times.
Romsey evolved as a market town under the auspices of the Abbess.
The weekly market was long held in the Market Place but transferred
to a quieter location after World War I. The traditional market
finally closed in the 1960s, and the site is now the Newton Lane
car park. Today, though, lively street markets are held in The Cornmarket
on Tuesdays and Fridays. The town also hosts occasional farmers’
and continental markets.
The central streets are lined with modest brick buildings, with
the occasional timber-framing on view. Behind some of the brick
facades, however, are hidden other timber-framed properties, several
dating back to the time of the royal charter. Low proportions and
uneven rooflines are clues to such hidden treasures. The Charter
Year Town Trail devised for the 2007 celebrations details some of
the properties to look for. (See page XX and the fold-out map inside
the back cover).
The Town’s Situation
Romsey is an excellent starting point for exploring Hampshire
and beyond. The town lies within a compact triangle made by Southampton,
Salisbury and Winchester. There are excellent rail, bus and road
connections with these major cities. Contact details for these services
are to be found in the General Information section, starting on
page 36.
Middlebridge over the River Test makes Romsey a strategic link between
east and west England, leading particularly to the nearby New Forest
National Park. Attractive quieter roads lead northwards to the upper
reaches of the River Test and the lovely countryside of the Test
Valley.
Romsey Weather
Situated as it is, in central southern England and not too far from
the coast, Romsey enjoys some of the better weather that the English
climate can produce - some seven hours of daily sunshine during
the summer months at an average temperature of 21°C. Records
going back some twenty years show generally mild winters.
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