Discover Romsey, Hampshire

Romsey, Hampshire, England: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bell_Street,_Romsey_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1130475.jpg
Author: Trish Steel


Romsey is a market town in Test Valley district, Hampshire, England. Located 13 km (8 mi) northwest of Southampton and 18 km (11 mi) southwest of Winchester, it has a population of around 15,000 people (2012 estimate). Romsey is on the River Test and is one of the sites famous for fly fishing.

The earliest mention of Romsey was during the Anglo-Saxon period, when a settlement called Rum's Eg was established. Romsey Abbey was founded here in AD 907, and a village developed around it. In 993 the village was ransacked by Vikings who destroyed the village and its church. Both were rebuilt, and Romsey grew into a religious community and a seat of learning.

The present Romsey Abbey dates to after the Norman Conquest. Under King Henry I the town received its first market charter, allowing it to hold a weekly market on Sundays and a four-day annual fair in May. In the 13th century, King Henry III allowed an additional fair to be held in October.

Sadler's Mill, Romsey: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sadler%27s_Mill,_The_Causeway,_Romsey_SO51_8HF_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1189569.jpg
Author: Ray Lambert


During the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539, Romsey Abbey faced suppression by King Henry VIII, but it escape demolition because it was used as a parish church by the villagers. From the mid 16th century Romsey grew on the strength of its wool and tannery industries. When these industries went into decline in the mid 18th century, they were replaced by other industries including brewing, papermaking and sack making. Many of the mills built during this period are now heritage sites.

Today Romsey is a modern, well-developed town, and home to a number of high-tech companies including IBM, Rocke Manor Research and Southampton Science Park.

Romsey Abbey: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:RomseyAbbey-West.jpg
Author: Alan Ford

Visiting Romsey

From London, take the M3 motorway until interchange with the M27 motorway at Junction 14. Head west on the M27. at Junction 3, head north on the M211 motorway then onwards north on the A3057 road. When it joins the A27 road, turn left and continue on the A27 heading north till you reach Romsey.

Places of Interest in Romsey

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About this website

Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.

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