Blog Archives

OBJECT OF THE WEEK: The Surveyors Chain

    This chain was used to measure lengths accurately and reliably. The  flat end off the “D” was laid on a known point and the surveyor stands on the chain. At the other end  the survey assistant was directed

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OBJECT OF THE WEEK: Cup from Drinking Fountain

  William Cowper- Temple , MP, of Broadlands was ahead of his time. A teetotaller and vegetarian, he was a keen supporter of religious tolerance, the environment and animal welfare. In 1886, by which time he was Lord Mount Temple,

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OBJECT OF THE WEEK: Curio From Romsey Abbey

This wooden box bears the following inscription: ‘Part of the apple tree cut down on the top of Romsey Church, 1821.’ In the 18th and early 19th century Romsey Abbey was badly neglected, and the apple tree that grew on

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OBJECT OF THE WEEK: Eighteenth Century Wig Curlers

Box6-3WigCurlers Discovered in Cherville Street, Romsey, in the 1980’s, these wig curlers are thought to have belonged to a John Marsh, who lived in Romsey from 1767 to 1776. Fashion in the eighteenth century, especially the latter half of the

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OBJECT OF THE WEEK: Romsey Townswomen’s Guild Banner

This banner belonged to the Romsey Townswomen’s Guild, which was established in 1929. After the impact of the Suffragette movement in the late 19th and early 20th cen tury, and the role of women during the First World War, women

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Post Medieval Bone Floor

A post medieval feature of house construction was a bone floor created from the knucklebones of sheep and, in rare cases, cattle and horses. Although these types of floors were widespread for a very short period between the late 17th

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The Hundred – Charles Burnett film

The monthly talk for March was on the history and development of the Hundred in Romsey.  The speaker, Charles Burnett provided an interesting insight on how the Hundred developed into the present day shopping centre with many shops changing hands,

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Bare Necessities: An Exhibition on Underwear

1 February 2016-27 April 2016   The exhibition explores the history and evolution of this basic but essential item of clothes wear from ancient times to the present day.  The 13th Century saw the emergence of numerous styles of formal

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Bare Necessities: A Talk on Victorian Ladies Underwear Ruth King

As the title suggests, the February talk focused on the informative topic of Victorian knickers. In her most entertaining and informative style, Ruth introduced us to the history and evolution of these basic but essential garments. The concept of underwear

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Robert Smeetham’s Scout Medal of Merit

  Robert Smetham was a local Romsey lad who was known for his heroic action in stopping a runway horse and cart from trampling over people on market day held on 22 February 1912. He hung on to the horse

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