Romsey

Coordinates: 50°59′20″N 1°29′48″W / 50.989°N 1.4966°W / 50.989; -1.4966

Romsey is a small market town in the county of Hampshire, England.

It is 7 miles (11 km) northwest of Southampton, 11 miles (18 km) southwest of Winchester and 17 miles (27 km) Southeast of Salisbury. Neighbouring the village of North Baddesley, just over 18,000 people live in Romsey, which has an area of about 4.93 square kilometres.

Romsey is one of the principal towns in the Test Valley Borough and lies on the River Test, which is known for fly fishing, predominantly trout. A large Norman abbey dominates the centre of the town.

Romsey was home of the 20th-century soldier and statesman The Earl Mountbatten of Burma, the 19th-century British prime minister Lord Palmerston, and the 17th-century philosopher and economist William Petty.

Romsey is twinned with Paimpol in Brittany, France, and Battenberg, Germany.

History

Middle Ages to the Civil War

The name Romsey is believed to have originated from the term Rūm's Eg, meaning "Rūm's area surrounded by marsh". Rūm is probably an abbreviated form of a personal name, like Rūmwald (glorious leader).

Romsey (UK Parliament constituency)

Coordinates: 51°00′14″N 1°29′28″W / 51.004°N 1.491°W / 51.004; -1.491

Romsey was a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

Boundaries

1983-1997: The Borough of Test Valley wards of Abbey, Blackwater, Chilworth and Nursling, Cuppernham, Field, North Baddesley, Romsey Extra, and Tadburn, and the District of New Forest wards of Blackfield and Langley, Colbury, Dibden and Hythe North, Dibden Purlieu, Fawley Holbury, Hythe South, Marchwood, Netley Marsh, Totton Central, Totton North, and Totton South.

1997-2010: The Borough of Test Valley wards of Abbey, Blackwater, Chilworth and Nursling, Cuppernham, Dun Valley, Field, Harewood, Kings Somborne and Michelmersh, Nether Wallop and Broughton, North Baddesley, Over Wallop, Romsey Extra, Stockbridge, and Tadburn, the Borough of Eastleigh wards of Chandler’s Ford, Hiltingbury East, and Hiltingbury West, and the City of Southampton ward of Bassett.