In this area, between the two great buttresses on the east end of the church, the abbey once extended into a double Eastern Chapel (see the blue dotted line on the plan). Originally some 7.5 metres wide and 6.4 metres long, it was extended in about 1271 to 12 metres in length. Being a double chapel it is highly likely that its two altars were designed to house the shrines of the two Romsey saints, Merwenna and Ethelflaeda – there being no need for a chapel to Saint Mary as the whole church was dedicated to her.
At some point after the Abbey was bought by the townspeople, the double chapel was demolished, perhaps because the building was in disrepair or maybe because it was not required for worship in the new Anglican services. The walls across the chapels were filled in and the windows which had been at the east end of the two chapels were inserted into the new wall.
These windows were lowered in 1867 under the direction of the Reverend E L Berthon.
Set into the path by the wall is a single brick recalling the ill-fated marriage between Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer and their Broadlands honeymoon in 1981.
Now, bear right into the south garth and stop after a few metres.
