Where can you go and zoom between Saxon and 21st Century in a single building? Romsey Abbey that's where. I've heard about this place over and over again and it did not disappoint once I finally made a pilgrimage across earlier this year.
The abbey itself is still pretty huge even by religious building standards, but its original footprint was much bigger. It seems that the church of SS Mary and Ethelflaeda may have started out as a nunnery in 907AD. Founded by King Edward [son of Alfred the Great], his daughter Elfaeda was put in charge. By 967AD the place had been refounded by King Edgar and a stone one put up to replace the original. By 1000AD Ethelflaeda was the abbess and she became canonised after various miracles were attributed to her. I like the story of her candle on her lectern blowing out when she was reading the night lessons, but it didn't present a problem for her as light started streaming from her fingers instead. The abbey continued to expand to the point where it incorporated the parish church of St Lawrence for the local people. This fact alone is probably what saved it from being asset stripped during the dissolution and the townsfolk were able to buy it as their church in 1544 for £100. Some parts of the abbey went on to be demolished simply because it was too large and beyond the needs of the townsfolk.
For starters the exterior is pretty good with all its whacky corbels and the Romsey Rood which dates from 11th century. How these things survive in all weathers is beyond me sometimes.
Inside the treats continue. Below is St Anne's Rood which is even older than the example outside. This one dates from the 10th century and sits behind an altar from 2015....that's more than a thousand years between the two objects.
Romanesque column capital carvings [the one shown has the name of the stone mason on it] jostle for your attention with Medieval wall paintings, the Romsey Rederos with Christ and all the saints and a painting of a kneeling priest in prayer.
This one is rather an oddity. In 1839 a lead coffin was discovered when the ground was being dug up for another grave. Usually lead preserves the contents well, but the lid had disintegrated to the point where no bones survived. Within it though lay this plaited hair resting upon a carved oak pillow. There's no indication as to whom it belonged, but modern tests have established that the deceased was a young woman who died between 964-1045 AD. Her diet contained a lot of fish so it's surmised that she was one of the ones living under the religious rule of St Benedict from the abbey's early days. It's slightly gruesome, but also fascinating for what it can tell us.
The church is awash with colour so I will leave you with a few shots of the stunning Florence Nightingale window and that marvellously groovy saints curtain dating from 1961.
I am delighted to have finally made it over for a visit.
Arilx
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