TWO Hampshire mayors have unveiled a new look for one of Romsey's oldest buildings.
Councillor John Parker, Romsey Town Mayor, and Councillor Ian Jeffrey, Test Valley Mayor, joined staff, trustees and volunteers at King John’s House on Friday, July 19, at a reception to celebrate the formal unveiling of striking new signage for the historic property.
Probably the second-oldest existing building in Romsey after the Abbey, King John’s House dates back to the 13th century and has many historic links.
The property combines medieval, Tudor and Victorian architecture with a small museum, heritage physic garden and Tudor tearoom.
READ MORE: 10 places in Romsey that you should visit at least once
One of the town’s major tourist attractions, it has nonetheless remained something of a hidden gem, nestled off Church Street behind the Visitor Information Centre.
The result of a successful project devised by the trustees of King John’s House and funded by a grant from Test Valley Borough Council’s Community Infrastructure Levy fund, the new signage will hopefully help give the visitor attraction greater prominence in the centre of Romsey.
Stylish new sign boards, designed by Smith and Jones, specialist heritage visitor centre designers, have been installed at 13 Church Street and at the car park entrance, together with interpretation boards at key points in the period gardens to help visitors understand the significance of the site.
At the ceremony on Friday, the final element was unveiled by Cllr Ian Jeffrey: a new hanging sign beside the entrance door to the House.
Designed to be eye-catching yet sympathetic to the setting and architecture of the House, and hand-painted by heritage signwriter Tony Tibbott of Portsmouth-based Tibbotts Signwriting, the blue and gold sign features a distinctive crown to reflect the House’s claimed Royal connection.
SEE MORE: Local plant nursery near Romsey to close after 30 years of business
Welcoming the gathering at the unveiling event, Cllr John Parker, who alongside his mayoralty is also chair of trustees for the property, said: “King John’s House and Tudor Cottage, together with the Moody Museum and period gardens, are a key part of Romsey’s heritage and tourism offering.
"We are confident that the new signage will help draw more Romsey residents and visitors towards this remarkable property and encourage people to come and take a look. In every sense, this marks the start of a refreshed strategic direction for one of Romsey’s most glorious assets, and a new era for King John’s House, which dates back some 800 years.”
Ceremonially unveiling the signage, Cllr Jeffrey responded: “Recognising the importance of King John’s House to Romsey residents and visitors, Test Valley Borough Council was pleased to provide financial support for this initiative.
"Indeed, our recent tourism review highlighted the importance of King John’s House as an element of the Borough’s economy overall. We welcome the Trustees’ desire to help develop tourism in Romsey and the Test Valley as part of the Council’s overall tourism strategy.”
Commenting on the work involved in creating the hanging sign, signwriter Tony Tibbott said: “An important factor was to capture the uniqueness and heritage of King John’s House and reflect its character. It was a pleasure to be involved with this important project.”
King John’s House and the Moody Museum are open to visitors Monday to Saturday by guided tour at 11am and 2pm, and the adjacent Tudor-inspired Gardens and Miss Moody’s Tearooms Monday to Saturday 10am to 4pm. www.kingjohnshouse.org.uk
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here