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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, Fridays and Saturdays. 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 24 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 XX.

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 a succession of mild winters.