The site saved from destruction
This sketch shows the location of Abbey Close in the centre of Romsey, just a stone's throw from the famous Abbey Church. The sketch was based on the photograph, shown on the first page, taken from the Abbey roof with the Magistrates' Court behind trees in the foreground. In the 1970s, this part of the town had become badly run down and Hampshire County Council (HCC) was buying up Church Street properties so that Hampshire Police Authority could build a large police station on the site. At the same time, Test Valley Borough Council, presumably not a keen supporter of the project, was busy listing all the buildings that the county council was trying to buy and then demolish. The memorandum on file from the county to the borough when they found out what was going on makes interesting reading!

Happily, the police changed their plans leaving HCC with a lot of land which they decided to make into what they termed a 'prestige' development. Around 1980, they built new houses in Church Road and renovated the old houses in Church Street making the larger buildings into flats. Together, these houses enclose a courtyard.

The redevelopment
The new houses were very cleverly designed by Winchester architect Huw Thomas and are frequently commended in literature on architecture. They are jettied over old York paving and have strong vertical window bars giving the impression of medieval buildings when viewed from the Abbey. Living rooms are on the first floor and look over the churchyard to a splendid view of the Abbey Church.

The old houses in Church Street had to be extensively renovated as they were in a very poor condition. When completed, they provided accommodation for 10 families with six of them in flats. The houses as they stand reveal some history. It can be seen from the sketch that the 10 families live under four roofs. These were originally four houses and each of them, despite extensive rebuilding over the centuries, is very close to an integral number of rods in width (one rod = 16 1/2 ft). They are an example of medieval planning. The odd shape of number 32 (top of sketch), the tortured brickwork on the facade and the brick arch of a wide side entrance suggest it was once a commercial building as indeed it proved to be. The remains of a large medieval house burnt down in the 19th century are featured in the courtyard.

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