A Brief History    

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Romsey Abbey was founded by King Edward the Elder in 907 AD for his daughter Elfleda, a granddaughter of Alfred the Great. She became a nun and the first Abbess of Romsey.

According to tradition, the original Saxon church on the site, which would probably have been built of wood, was destroyed by the Vikings in 994. It was replaced with a stone church about 1000 AD.

By the time of Domesday the nunnery was valued at £136 8s, the twentieth richest religious house in England, and the third richest nunnery (behind Shaftesbury and Barking).  Ref:- as calculated by Dom David Knowles. 

Building began on the present-day Norman church in 1120. The final three western bays were completed circa 1240, by which time it was estimated to have 100 nuns.

The stone for the Abbey came from the Binstead quarry on the Isle of Wight. it was floated across the Solent on barges, then carried overland by ox-cart.  

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The timber for the roof of the last three bays and part of the nunnery was given by Henry 3rd from his private forests.

During the period of 'dissolution of the monasteries' The abbey ceased to be a nunnery.  it was spared demolition by Henry VIII and subsequently purchased in 1544 for £100 by the townspeople of Romsey as their parish church. 

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The abbey's imposing position, overlooking the small medieval township of

Romsey, draws visitors from around the world: attracted by its history,

architecture, sculptures and stained glass windows.

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