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Area Setting and Landscape

The Lodge House, Viney Avenue

The area, referred to in this document as Eastern Romsey, is bounded on the north by Winchester Road (A3090) from which it slopes down to the Tadburn Lake. It is adjacent to that part of Winchester Road (A3090) which lies on the eastern plateau of the Test valley, above the historic core of Romsey. The area is at the eastern extremity of urban Romsey and the rural area known as Crampmoor lies to the east.

The trees and views across Crampmoor are regarded as important by many residents of Eastern Romsey, especially glimpses of St Swithun’s Church and the grazing sheep. However the electricity pylons and cables beyond the church are visually intrusive, as is a nearby phone mast.

St Swithuns Church

A railway line runs through the floor of the Tadburn valley, separating Eastern Romsey from Halterworth and the Tadburn Meadows, a Local Nature Reserve which lies to the south. The railway runs alongside the stream known as Tadburn Lake. There are meadows alongside the railway line, on the northern side, some of which form public open spaces but others are private.

Trees across the Tadburn Valley

It is difficult to get to the Tadburn Meadows from Eastern Romsey as there is no pedestrian bridge over the stream and railway. Access involves a diversion into Halterworth Lane at the eastern end of the area. However the trees of Tadburn Meadows help to create a rural feel to Eastern Romsey and the trees of Botley Road cemetery beyond Halterworth form part of the southern skyline.

Until the latter half of the twentieth century, the area was predominantly composed of two estates, Harefield and Little Woodley. Harefield comprised a substantial Victorian villa in its own grounds, originally built by Thomas Strong, the owner of Strong & Co of Romsey, the town’s major brewery.

The estate was acquired by the then Romsey Borough Council. In 1946 the estate houses on Harefield Estate were made ready for occupation by Romsey Borough Council. A new estate was created called Viney Avenue. Subsequently other streets were built around Viney Avenue. The name ‘Harefield’ is often applied collectively to Viney Avenue, and the streets to its west. Selsdon Avenue which lies below the gardens of The Crescent is part of this area.

The other part of Eastern Romsey was built on lands associated with Little Woodley, including St Blaize Road, Westering and the Campion Drive complex.

Little Woodley Farm house and Woodley Grange are both private enclaves, each with separate access from Winchester Road.
Campion Drive and its associated closes wrap around Woodley Grange from which they are separate. Campion Drive was built in the 1980s and 1990s.