The church possesses more than one thing of great interest. The old
high-altar stone is still in existence, and is now used as the
communion table. In the south transept is a fine thirteenth century
effigy of a lady, carved in purbeck. At the end of the south aisle of
the choir is a remarkable stone Crucifix that evidently belonged to
the old Saxon church; about the Cross stand Our Lady, St John and the
Roman soldiers, above are angels. A later Rood is to be seen in the
eastern wall of the old cloister which abutted on to the transept; this
dates from the twelfth century. In the north aisle of the choir is a
very fine painting which used to stand above the high altar in Catholic
times. There we see still the Resurrection of Our Lord with two angels,
above are ten saints, among them St Benedict and St Scholastica, St
Gregory, St Augustine of Canterbury, St Francis and St Clare.
This fine work, which of old showed, above, Christ in Glory, is
of the end of the fourteenth century.
Now when you have seen Romsey Abbey thus as it were with the head; then
is the time to begin to get it by heart.
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