an work which at the western end passes into the most
delightful Early English. The cloister stood to the south of the nave,
to the north stood of old the parish church, growing out of the north
aisle as it were, built so in 1403. This has been destroyed and the
north aisle wall has been rebuilt as in 1150.

The church possesses more than one thing of great interest. The old
high-altar stone is still in existence, and is now used as the
communion table. In the south transept is a fine thirteenth century
effigy of a lady, carved in purbeck. At the end of the south aisle of
the choir is a remarkable stone Crucifix that evidently belonged to
the old Saxon church; about the Cross stand Our Lady, St John and the
Roman soldiers, above are angels. A later Rood is to be seen in the
eastern wall of the old cloister which abutted on to the transept; this
dates from the twelfth century. In the north aisle of the choir is a
very fine painting which used to stand above the high altar in Catholic
times. There we see still the Resurrection of Our Lord with two angels,
above are ten saints, among them St Benedict and St Scholastica, St
Gregory, St Augustine of Canterbury, St Francis and St Clare.
This fine work, which of old showed, above, Christ in Glory, is
of the end of the fourteenth century.

Now when you have seen Romsey Abbey thus as it were with the head; then
is the time to begin to get it by heart. In all South England you may
find no greater glory than this, nor one more entirely our very own, at
least our own as we were but yesterday. It may be that such a place as
Romsey Abbey means nothing to us and can never mean anything again. But
I'll not believe it. For to think so is to despair of England, to
realise that England of my heart has really passed away.

There are two ways by which a man may go from Romsey, in the valley of
the Test to Winchester, in the valley of the Itchen. The more
beautiful, for it gives you, if you will, not only Otterbourne,
Shawford and Compton to the west of the stream, but Twyford to the
east, the Queen of Hampshire villages, is that which makes for the
Roman road between Winchester and Southampton, and following up the
valley of the Itchen enters Winchester at last, by the South Gate,
after passing St Cross in the meads. The shorter road, though far less
lovely, is in some ways the more interesting; for it passes Merdon
Castle and Hursley, where the son of Oliver Cromwell lies, and for this