Past Memories

Not so long ago this corner of the Hampshire town of Romsey was dominated by a 200-year-old inn, the Dolphin Hotel, and while the building remains it is now part of a department store.
Thankfully, the store company, Bradbeers have retained its regency façade of the Grade 2 listed building, and in essence much of its purpose.  The ground floor in part is now a coffee shop, although not surprisingly there were no takers for sitting outside late this afternoon.
The first floor, with its bow windows overlooking the town’s Corn Market was once the hotel’s dining room, and today it is a restaurant within the department store.
Archaeologists who examined the building before it was taken over by the store found traces of timber work inside which dated the hotel back to the 15th century. There were also stables at the rear dating from the 18th century. The archaeologists say the building’s façade was created in 1828 and there is evidence of brick cellars beneath the building from the 17th century.
In much more recent times, I can well remember the hotel, have lunched in the former restaurant, while its bar was an occasional Sunday evening watering hole.
And at one time a once-a-week open air market was held in the hotel car park.

The frontage to the Corn Market is as welcoming as ever, and presented a bright progressive outlook on the town this evening.  But memories live on!