Where I Live - Romsey High Street - Death and Destruction Within!

Romsey is a small, busy town and Broadlands, the English estate of the Earl of Mountbatten (the late Dickie Mountbatten, Prince Philip's uncle), abuts the town's edge. The town is very, very old - in fact, Saxons originally settled there. Romsey Abbey dates from around 907AD, and the high street is almost that old as well.

The Corn Market, which still has a market twice each week.

 The centre of the high street is still called The Corn Market, from the 1200s when Romsey was a market town to which farmers brought their saleable items such as cattle and food.  In medieval times, the term 'corn' referred to any edible grain - wheat, corn, barley, etc.

You can just see the Abbey peeking out in the background of the picture.

Cromwells Need Not Apply

I think I mentioned in the Abbey post that Romsey bought the Abbey from Henry VIII for £100 - that's a perfect demonstration of how conservative Romsey is and was - none of that new-fangled religion for them, thank you very much!
There's another, really fantastic example of Romsey's conservatism fastened securely to the Working Men's Conservative Club in the high street - pictured on the right. See that iron hanger which the sign hangs from?

This is the plaque underneath it. -------------->

I told you - immovably conservative! None of that Cromwell garbage welcome here! And don't you love the geeky matter-of-factness of the last sentence - wtf?

William Rufus's Last Ride

This is Bell Street, whose claim to fame is pictured below.

LOL - and remember, Rufus was buried under one of the towers of the church, which collapsed a few years after his burial. The monks said it was God's way of revenging himself on the irreligious king. I still can't figure out if the plaque is subversive or not...

Lord Palmerston Pees

This is the statue of Lord Palmerston which is kinda in the middle of the high street area. One time, someone took white paint and painted footsteps stretching from the statue to the bank opposite, then another set heading back to the statue. Then they took yellow paint and splashed it on the bank wall and pavement so that it looked like Lord Palmerston had stepped down, gone for a piss then got back on the pedestal. It was before my time so I don't have pictures. But apparently the locals were not amused.

This is just to the right of the statue, and the hanging jib is on the right. And that cute bald pate belongs to Buzz!

This is the other church located near the high street - I think it's Presbyterian but don't quote me.

Anyway, so that's a bit of Romsey High Street, which is a case study in juxtaposition - there are very, very expensive shops, and there are about 15 charity shops too, all located in the same area. Go figure.

P.S. Don't forget to add your creation to this week's Linky Party!