(^122) Hampshire Life: February 2019
often appeal to people needing access
to Winchester. Villages to the north are
hidden in the lush landscape of the Test
Valley, while villages to the west attract
people looking for an away-from-it-all
location with the New Forest on the
doorstep.
Schooling is another draw with an
excellent selection of independent and
state schools. Halterworth Community
Primary and Knightwood Primary are
both ‘outstanding’ says Ofsted. Meanwhile
Ampfield, Awbridge, Braishfield, Lockerley
and Romsey Primaries and Cupernham,
North Baddesley and Wellow Juniors are
all ‘good’. At secondary level both The
Romsey School and The Mountbatten
School are also ‘good’.
Independents include Stroud, the
preparatory school for Southampton’s
King Edward VI School, and Hampshire
Collegiate School at Embley Park, once the
home of Florence Nightingale.
All in all, Romsey is a comfortable place
to settle. The quality that is often used
to describe Romsey is timeless. Strolling
around I usually feel that Romsey’s
residents have successfully fought off
the worst of modern life and intrusive
developments. I confess, I don’t want
Romsey to change. Yet nothing stays the
same. Major developments, particularly
on the north-eastern outskirts of Romsey,
include 800-home Abbotswood ‘village’
and smaller schemes, such as Oxlease
Meadows, off Cupernham Lane. A
particular shock has been the controversial
development of Ganger Farm on Jermyns
Lane. This is where we used to pick
strawberries. It’s now Kings Chase, a
development of about 275 homes, sited
opposite one of Hampshire’s gems - award-
winning Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, a
national asset known worldwide. Jermyns
Lane was always a favourite with its
springtime showstopper of azaleas and
rhododendrons in bloom. Does this
new development spoil the character of
the area? Heck, yes. I’ve always viewed
Romsey and its surrounding villages as an
enclave bypassed by the modern world. If it
can’t stay that way, then at least build with
consideration for the location. For all our
sakes.
Alton y
Winchester y
Romsey z
FOCUS ON: ROMSEY
PROPERTY
Romsey Abbey looms over The White Horse - an inn
from medieval times - with a chic Brasserie opening
onto a sheltered courtyard (perfect in warmer months)
STAR BUY
Buddys Barn, Ampfield
£1,595,000
Flexible family home with six bedrooms,
open plan kitchen-dining-family room,
far-reaching views, grounds approaching
three acres and extensive outbuildings
Charles Powell, West Wellow, 01794 322999
backadmin
(backadmin)
#1