him on the
occasions of these visits.

The historical information has been derived from many sources. Among these
may especially be mentioned "An Essay descriptive of the Abbey Church of
Romsey," by C. Spence, the first edition of which was published in 1851;
the small official guide sold in the church, and "Records of Romsey Abbey,
compiled from manuscript and printed records," by the Rev. Henry G. D.
Liveing, M.A., Vicar of Hyde, Winchester, 1906. This last-named work
contains all that is at present known, or that is likely to be known, of
the history of the abbey from its foundation early in the ninth century up
to the year 1558. To this book the reader who desires fuller information
and minuter details than could be given in the following pages is
referred.

The thanks of the writer are due to the late and present Vicars for kind
permission to examine the building, and to take photographs of it from any
point of view he desired.

TURNWORTH RECTORY,
BLANDFORD, DORSET.
_March, 1907._

CONTENTS

PAGE
CHAPTER I. HISTORY OF THE BUILDING 15
II. THE EXTERIOR 27
III. THE INTERIOR 39
IV. THE ABBESSES OF ROMSEY 67
VICARS OF ROMSEY 79
INDEX 81
DIMENSIONS OF THE ABBEY CHURCH 82

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

ROMSEY ABBEY FROM THE EAST _Frontispiece_

ABBESS'S SEAL _Title-page_

APSIDAL CHAPEL, SOUTH TRANSEPT 14

THE NAVE, LOOKING WEST 19

JUNCTION OF NORMAN AND EARLY ENGLISH WORK 21

VIEW FROM THE NORTH-WEST 23

THE ABBESS'S DOOR 26

THE WEST END AND SOUTH TRANSEPT 29

THE SOUTH TRANSEPT FROM THE WEST 31

THE SAXON ROOD 33

THE CHOIR, SOUTH SIDE 35

THE NAVE, NORTH SIDE 38

CYLINDRICAL PIER: NORTH NAVE ARCADE 40

THE CLERESTORY OF NAVE 41

EARLY ENGLISH BAYS OF THE NAVE 43

THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE CHOIR 44

TRIFORIUM ARCH