Romsey Abbey

Test Valley

Type:Abbey / Priory

Parish Office, The Vicarage, Church Lane, Romsey, Hampshire, SO51 8EP

Tel: 01794 513125

Romsey Abbey

About

Romsey Abbey is situated in the centre of Romsey – about 10 miles from Southampton and Winchester, 16 miles from Salisbury and about 80 miles (130 km) southwest of London.

With a lofty nave and round Norman arches, Romsey Abbey is one of the most imposing churches in Southern England. It’s home to a number of treasures, including two Saxon roods, a 16th-century reredos (a screen displayed behind an altar) and the tomb of Lord Mountbatten of Burma, great-uncle of Prince Charles.

Abbey stewards are on duty everyday to welcome and greet visitors. Self-guiding leaflets are available in multiple languages for you to wander, wonder, discover and experience the Abbey for yourself. There is no charge for admission, however all donations are gratefully received.

General details of services are available on www.romseyabbey.org.uk Specific details for the current week can be found in the weekly bulletin (also available to download from the Abbey website). The Abbey is a popular venue for baptisms, weddings, funerals, thanksgiving, community and civic services.

In addition to being a thriving place of Christian worship, the Abbey hosts a number of private and public events throughout the year. There is also an annual programme of music concerts overseen by Music in Romsey, which runs March to December inclusive. In addition, there is often a free lunchtime recital on Tuesdays at 1.10pm for 30-40 minutes. Details are published on social media and online and in the weekly bulletin. Romsey Abbey has a host of active groups who meet regularly in the Abbey’s Church Rooms.

The Abbey Gift Shop and Book Stall are situated inside the Abbey and you can also buy a copy of ‘Open Door’ the magazine of Romsey Abbey & St Swithun’s for full details of the life of the Parish.

Guided tours can be arranged at a cost and with advance booking via the Parish Office.

Book Tickets

Guide Prices

No tickets required. Entrance is free but donations are requested.
Tours can be pre-booked via the Parish Office. Allow £5 per person.

Facilities

Accessibility

  • All Areas Accessible to Disabled Visitors
  • Facilities for Hearing Impaired Visitors - Loop system for services
  • Facility for service dogs
  • Guide Dogs Permitted
  • Parking Areas for Disabled Visitors - Yes on on-site carpark, requests via the Parish Office
  • Ramp/Level Access
  • Toilets for Disabled Visitors
  • Wheelchair user accessible

Catering

  • On-Site cafe/restaurant - No (refreshments are available in a variety of establishments in the town centre)

Establishment Features

  • Dogs Accepted - Guide dogs and Assistance dogs only
  • Event Venue
  • Licensed for weddings & ceremonies
  • Open Christmas
  • Open New Year
  • Printed Material in Foreign Languages
  • Staff fluent in foreign languages ** (List of languages are separately given) - Arrangements can be made to provide a tour in German and/or Spanish, subject to the guides availability
  • Toilets - Accessible toilets available on request

Parking & Transport

  • On site parking - Very limited. Disabled visitors should contact the Parish Office
  • Parking (charge) - Several Romsey Town Centre car parks within walking distance
  • Parking (free) - Many carparks free after 4pm and all are free on Sundays

Payment Methods

  • Approx length of visit - 1 hour
  • Booking essential - For tours only
  • Open by appointment outside normal opening times

Printed Material in Foreign Languages

  • French printed material
  • German printed material
  • Italian printed material
  • Mandarin printed material
  • Polish printed material
  • Russian printed material
  • Spanish printed material

Provider Preferences

  • In town/city centre
  • No Smoking Attraction

Specialist Features

  • Family Fun
  • Marketed Towards Children - Children’s walk round tour guide available Regular events for Children including free Lego Church sessions (held on Saturday’s once a month) Active Sunday School available
  • Marketed Towards Families - As above
  • Marketed Towards Senior Citizens - Regular lunchtime recitals (Tuesdays at 1.10pm) free with retiring collection

Tours and Demonstrations

  • Educational Visits Accepted
  • Guided Tours Available for Groups

TripAdvisor

Map & Directions

Road Directions

From London, 80 miles away, follow the M3 to Southampton. From the Midlands, take the M40 and A34 to Winchester, which joins the M3 north of Winchester. At Junction 13, follow signs onto the M27 west-bound, joining traffic from Portsmouth and Brighton. A mile after Rownhams Services, turn off the M27 at Junction 3 and then take the third exit at the roundabout onto the M271 spur north-bound.

You should now find yourself, heading towards Romsey. At the the roundabout at the end of the motorway, take the A3057 and, two miles further on at the next roundabout, turn left onto the A27 and cross the railway bridge for the final approach to Romsey.

About a mile later, shortly after a pedestrian crossing, you will come to another roundabout. Take the first exit left and at the next roundabout – quite a small one – take the third exit.

If you are travelling from Bristol, follow the A36 through Salisbury and take the second exit at the large roundabout beyond West Wellow onto the A3090. This is also the road you need to take if travelling from travelling from Bournemouth and the South West (take the first exit towards Bristol at junction 2 of the M27 east-bound). At the first roundabout after you cross a hump-backed bridge, take the first exit left.

Public Transport Directions

Romsey Abbey is a five-minute walk away from the bus station, head towards the main shopping in The Hundred. Turn left towards Market Place and at the roundabout turn right onto Church Street, then first left onto Church Place and the Abbey is facing you.

Romsey enjoys direct train services from Cardiff, Bristol, Bath, Portsmouth, Southampton Central and Southampton Airport Parkway (both of the latter are served by trains from London Waterloo). Romsey Abbey is a ten minute walk away from the railway station, cross the road at the bottom of Station Approach, walk along Station Road, then bear right into Lortemore Place and carry on through Abbey Walk. In Church Street turn left, then first right onto Church Place and the Abbey is facing you.

Awards

  • Tourism South East Award -Tourism South East Member 23/24 - Bronze Tourism South East Member 23/24 - Bronze 2023

Opening Times

Open Christmas
2024 (1 Jan 2024 - 31 Dec 2024)
DayTimes
Monday08:00 - 18:00
Tuesday09:15 - 18:00
Wednesday08:00 - 18:00
Thursday09:15 - 18:00
Friday08:00 - 18:00
Saturday09:15 - 18:00
Sunday11:00 - 18:00
Bank Holiday09:15 - 18:00

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