Romsey

settlement
parish:
county:
coords:
coords:
Romsey
Hampshire
SU351212
50.992N 1.495W : lat'n'long
refce: HANTSLOC.t

old map: 25inch County Series map -- Hants LVI.4

Romsey
otherwise: rummaesig, 966-975; rumesig, 971; rumesige, 1000-14; rumesege, 1026-12

refce: Coates 1989
ROMSEY
Old English 'island of Rum'. Old English 'i(e)g' means 'island' or 'raised ground in marshland'; obviously the latter is meant here, in the Test marshes. It is the commonest element recorded in ancient place names (cf Cox 1976: 58). 'Rum' is found as the first element of Old English names like 'Rumbeald' (Middle English 'Rumbold').

description
Rumsey
The place is described in text Cobbett 1830

refce: Cobbett 1830
... But, before I go forward any further, I must just step back again to RUMSEY, which we passed rather too hastily through on the 16th, as noticed in the RIDE that was published last week. This town was, in ancient times, a very grand place, though it is now nothing more than a decent market-town, without any thing to entitle it to particular notice, except its church, which was the church of an Abbey NUNNERY ...

old map
Romsey
Shown on an old map by Perrot 1823
- Hamp
refce: Perrot 1823
(PER1HANT.jpg)

old gazetteer
Romsey

Period - 19th century, early
refce: Brookes 1815
a town in Hampshire, governed by a mayor, with a market on Saturday, a manufacture of shaloons, and several paper-mills. Here was a considerable abbey for Benedictine nuns, of which little is now standing, except the spacious church. It is seated on the Andover canal and the river Test, 8m NW Southampton, and 73 W by S London.
Test, or Tese, ... flows by ... Rumsey

old map
Rumsey
Shown on an old map by Harrison 1788
- settlement, town - Kings Somborn Hundred - Hampshire
Period - 1780s
refce: Harrison 1788
(HAR1SU32.jpg)

old map
Rumsey
Shown on an old map by Badeslade 1742
- settlement, town - Hampshire
Period - 1740s
refce: Badeslade 1742

description
Rumsey
otherwise: Rumseg
The place is described in text Cox 1738
- Hampshire
refce: Cox 1738
Rumsey, called by the Saxon Rumseg, a large and ancient Town in the Road from Southampton to Salisbury. It is governed by a Mayor, Recorder, six Aldermen, and twelve Burgesses, &c. 'Tis much inhabited by Clothiers, and has a good Market on Saturdays weekly, and three Fairs yearly, on Easter Monday, August the 15th, and St. Simon and St. Jude.

description
Rumsey
The place is described in text Bowen 1720 (plate 263)

refce: Bowen 1720 (plate 263)
Rumsey / Is a large & ancient Town, Govd. by a Mayor, 16 Ald~, a Recorder, & 12 Burgesses, It trades cheifly in Cloath, & has a good Mt. on Sat. & Fairs on East. Mond. ,Augt. 15th., & Sts. Simon & Jude. / Here was formerly a Nunnery built by K. Edgar, out of which Mathew of Alsace, Son to the E. of Flanders, found means privately to convey the Princess, Mary K. Stephen's only Daughter & Heir, then Abbess & married her but was so pursued & threatned by the Church, that after he had 2 Children by her, he was obliged to resign her, that she might return to the Performance of her Vow.

old map
Rumsey
Shown on an old map by Morden 1695
- settlement, town - Redbridg Hundred - Hampshire
Period - 1690s-1720s
refce: Morden 1695
(MRD2SU32.jpg)

old map
Rumsey
Shown on an old map by Ogilby 1675
- settlement, town - Hampshire
refce: Ogilby 1675 (pl.97)
(OG97SU32.jpg)

old map
Rumsey
Shown on an old map by Ogilby 1675
- settlement, town - Hampshire
refce: Ogilby 1675 (pl.51)
street map
(OG5BSU32.jpg)

descriptive text
Rumsey

Period - 17th century
refce: Blome 1673
Rumsey, seated on a fair River, a large and ancient Town, much inhabited by Clothiers; and its Market, which is on Saturdays, is very well served with all provisions.

old map
Rumsey
Shown on an old map by Blaeu 1645
- settlement, town - Kings Somburne Hundred - Hantshire
refce: Blaeu 1645
(BLA1SU32.jpg)

table of distances
Rumsey
Shown on an old map by Simmons 1643
- Hamshire
Period - 1630s-40s
refce: Simmons 1643
in the S.W. sector of the thumbnail map; 65 miles from London
(SIM1SMAL.jpg)

old map
Rumsey
Shown on an old map by Speed 1611
- settlement, town - kings Sombourne Hundred - Hantshire
refce: Speed 1611
(SPD1SU32.jpg)

description
Rumsey
The place is described in text Camden 1610
- Hantshire
Period - 1600s
refce: Camden 1610
Then goeth this river [Test] to see Rumsey, in Saxon speech [Rumseg]. A nunnery founded by King Edgar, the large Church whereof yet standeth; out of the which Marie daughter of King Stephen being there Abbesse, & his only heire surviving, was conveied secretly by Mathew of Alsace sonne to the Earle of Flaunders, and to him married [etc etc]

old map
Rvmsey
Shown on an old map by Norden 1607
- settlement, town - Redbridg Hundred - Hamshire
Period - 1590s-1600s
refce: Norden 1607
(NRD1SU32.jpg)

old map
Rumsey
Shown on an old map by Keer 1620
- Southampton
refce: Keer 1620
(KER1SMAL.jpg)

old map
Rumsey
Shown on an old map by Saxton 1575
- settlement, town - Southamtoniae
refce: Saxton 1575
(SAX1SU32.jpg)

Romsay

Period - 16th century
refce: Lloyd 1573
(LLD1HAM.jpg)

domesday
Listed in Domesday Book
- Hantescire - Romsey Abbey - Romsey parish: - Hampshire
Period - 11th century
refce: Domesday Book 1086 (15.1)
TERRA AECCL~AE DE ROMESYG ... ABBATIA DE ROMESY ten. tota~ uilla~ in qua sedet ipsa aeccl~a ...

domesday
Romesyg
Listed in Domesday Book
- Sumburne Hundred - Hantscire
Period - 11th century
refce: Moody 1862 (Domesday)

old map
rusey
see:- Gough Map

Period - 14th century (about 1360)
refce: Gough Map
(GOUGH1S.jpg)

coat of arms

refce: seal
Borough seal, 1933, a portcullis

coat of arms

refce: coat of arms & crest & motto
HMCMS:FA1998.49.1
blazon (approximate) - quarterly gules and sable, overall a crosier surmounted of a portcullis or
The shield's red refers to the borough's royal association, the black to the Benedictine abbey, the two emblems have long been used on the borough's common seal; the crest has a mural crown with ears of wheat and barley, representing the agriculture and brewing of the area; the dexter supporter, a lion, holds the banner of the Mountbattens, the sinister supporter may alude to King John's hunting, the mayfly to trout fishing in the Test.
QUAE RECTA TENE
motto - Hold fast that which is right

   Old Hampshire Gazetteer - JandMN: 2001