Romsey 23rd March
The sun shone brightly as 20 members of the Bus Trip Group, displaying their U3A lanyards, boarded the X5 heading in the direction of Romsey – at some points it was definitely standing room only!
Once in Romsey, desperate for a quick drink & comfort break, we headed for the rather splendid White Horse Hotel, once a coaching inn with medieval origins – our lounge boasted fine oak beams and walls painted with Tudor decorations. It was hardly a quick exit after coffee, as we negotiated the cumbersome contactless payment system– isn’t technology wonderful!
We hurried on to the Abbey, where Rob, our Guide was waiting for us. What an interesting tour, there is so much to see!!The original Abbey dates from c907, being refounded in 967 as a Benedictine Abbey of nuns - there is a Saxon Rood (crucifix) dating from that period and another dating from the 11th Century. Unlike most of the local Abbeys, Romsey survived the dissolution of the Monasteries, when the four Guardians petitioned Henry V111 to buy the Abbey as the town’s church, for £100; hence the Abbey belongs to the town of Romsey and is at the centre of the town.
Inside Romsey AbbeyBringing us closer to the modern day, the Earl of Mountbatten’s, whose family home is nearby Broadlands, has his last resting place in Romsey Abbey, at his behest, even though the funeral took place in Westminster Abbey.
Reluctantly we had to leave Rob, making our way across the street to Miss Moody’s Tudor Tearooms, for lunch. The tearooms comprises two tiny rooms, part of King John’s House - originally belonging to the Nunnery and now a Heritage Centre. Our rather large party was seated outside in the picturesque Victorian Garden, where we were able to enjoy the old fashioned pleasure of traditional afternoon tea served in bone china teacups, while chatting away and enjoying the unseasonably warm sunshine.
There was just time for a tour of the many well-stocked charity shops and by contrast a quick pilgrimage to Bradbeers – the local department store, strictly for those with expensive tastes; before we reconvened at the bus station. All went well, until, at the appointed hour, we were surrounded by a mass of uniformed teenagers. Thankfully it was a double decker that inched it’s way towards us. The bus stopped and as the doors opened, before the crowd surged forward - there was a booming voice from the back “stand aside, there are twenty of us first!” As the crowd parted, the sentiment was echoed by a young girl, obviously an Influencer in the making “ Let the Oldies through!” Imagine their dismay, as half our party scooted up the stairs to claim the back seat!!
After using that last ounce of energy running for our connection in Southampton, we arrived home exhausted but happy, with new friends met!