Against the wall is a five hundred-year-old walnut chest. It is over 2 metres long. Have a close look at the lock and, below it, the small man on his belly trying to hold up the weight of the carved shield.
A few steps further on are two memorials to a young engineer, Arthur ‘Bob’ Ward, the only person from Romsey lost in the terrible sinking of the Titanic in 1912. The marble memorial above was given by the White Star Line, the ship’s owners, and the brass plaque by some of his friends from Romsey. After the loss of the Titanic, folding ‘Berthon boats’ (like the one in the stained glass window) were fitted to her ‘sister’ ships, Olympic and Majestic.
This aisle was once used as the parish church and would have been screened-off in some way from the nuns. The font for the parish church probably stood where the Victorian font now stands.
Also in the area can be seen a ‘timeline’ with information about the history of Romsey Abbey. There is also an artist’s impression of how the Abbey may have looked before Henry VIII closed it in 1539.
Continue into the area round the Abbey’s gift and book shop.
