A TIMELINE OF ROMSEY HISTORY
By Tim Lambert
907 AD A Benedictine abbey is founded at Romsey
993 The Danes burn Romsey
Early 12th Century King Henry I gives Romsey a charter and confirms the right to hold a weekly market and an annual fair
1340 Romsey has a population of about 1,000. The main industry is making wool.
1526 Plague strikes Romsey
1539 Henry VIII closes Romsey Abbey
1544 The townspeople purchase the Abbey Church
1560 Romsey has a population of about 1,500
1607 Romsey is made a borough
1643 During the Civil War the Royalists occupy Romsey. They flee after a skirmish with the Parliamentarians but return at the end of 1644. The Royalists finally leave in January 1645.
1750 The wool industry in Romsey ends
1767 Broadlands is built
1794 A canal passes through Romsey
1800 Kents Almshouses are built
1801 The population of Romsey is 4,274
1810 A body of men called Improvement Commissioners is formed to pave, clean and light the streets of Romsey
1834 Gas light is used to light the streets instead of oil
1847 The railway reaches Romsey
1858 Strongs Brewery opens
1866 A new Town Hall is built
1867 A statue of Lord Palmerston is erected
1901 The population of Romsey is 5,597
1921 War Memorial Park opens
Mid 1960s Whitenap Estate is built
1966 Budds Lane Industrial Estate opens
1978 Broadlands House opens to the public
1981 Strongs Brewery opens
1984 Plaza Theatre opens
1997 Brewing returns to Romsey. Hampshire Brewery moves to the town.
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