THE historic market town of Romsey, in the Test Valley, has been visited by everyone from Stone Age man to royalty.

Now a new book, The History of Romsey, traces the town's past from the Ice Age to the new millennium.

Romsey Abbey was established in the tenth century and the church was built 300 years later. Nuns living there would have been praying in a building site, as the work took 130 years to complete.

When Henry VIII broke away from the Roman Catholic Church to divorce Katherine of Aragon he dissolved many monasteries.

Romsey Abbey did not escape and was closed in 1539, although the church was sold to the town five years later. Many of the last abbesses had already given the abbey a poor reputation, especially Elizabeth Broke, who resigned after running up debts and allowing nuns to drink in local taverns.

Romsey was a prosperous market town with thriving dyeing and tanning industries. But changing fashions and the Indus-trial Revolution brought change and by the 20th century Strong's Brewery became the town's most important business. It also provided every worker with a free daily allowance of beer.

Famous visitors to the town have included Victorian Prime Minister Lord Palmerston, who owned nearby stately home Broadlands. Broadlands was also a honeymoon destination for both the Queen (then Princess Elizabeth) and Prince Philip, and Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana in 1981.

The book, price £7.50, is written and researched by members of Lower Test Valley Archaeological Study Group. Its 20th century history is enlivened by many personal memories from people in Romsey, particularly about living through two world wars.

Phoebe Merrick, chairman of the LTVAS, said: "There were D-Day forces stationed all around the area, and the book really shines a light on the day to day affairs of living during that time."