'Devastating' fire extinguished at Romsey medieval house
Firefighters have extinguished a blaze at an 800-year-old house after a fire began in its basement. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service said six fire engines were deployed to King John's House in Romsey at about 02:45 GMT on Saturday. The fire service said a temporary road closure was put in place before the fire was fully extinguished at about 09:30 GMT. A council leader said he understood the building's interior had been "really badly damaged" but that its structure appeared intact and would be able to be restored.
King John's House is a medieval home believed to have been built around 1250, and houses a museum. The fire service said its crews tackled the blaze in the basement using two jets and two hose reels before using ventilation fans to clear the smoke.Nick Adams-King, leader of Hampshire County Council, said the majority of the building was "old timber" and it "wasn't surprising that it was badly damaged". He said Test Valley Borough Council were at the museum on Saturday to make sure it was secure, and work would begin to restore the building as soon as possible. "It is one of the two main tourist destinations in Romsey, so it is a huge loss, short-term, to the town", he said. "Everyone to whom I've spoken have said they're devastated... we don't know how long it's going to take to fix... I would say it's going to take months". Councillor Adams-King added a "full survey and assessment" of the building was due to be carried out "in the next couple of days".
You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
One dead, more missing after migrant shipwreck off Italy's Lampedusa
ROME, June 30 (Reuters) - One woman died, two people were feared missing and 87 were rescued following a migrant shipwreck off the Italian island of Lampedusa, a U.N. migration agency official said on Monday. Lampedusa lies between Tunisia, Malta and the larger Italian island of Sicily and is the first port of call for many migrants seeking to reach the EU from North Africa, in what has become one of the world's deadliest sea crossings. The migrants, initially rescued by a Tunisian fishing boat and then picked up by the Italian coastguard, arrived in Lampedusa at around 4 a.m. (0200 GMT), International Organization for Migration (IOM) spokesperson Flavio Di Giacomo said. They had set off from Tunisia on a flimsy metal boat that disintegrated during navigation, he said, describing such vessels as "floating coffins". "We are trying to see if, apart from the body that was recovered, one or two people are missing. Probably there are two," he added. Another group of around 80 sea migrants, including children and two or three pregnant women, also landed in Lampedusa overnight after a "dramatic" crossing in very rough weather, Di Giacomo said. "They were lucky to make it, given the sea conditions they faced", he said, indicating that the group had left Libya on Friday on a rubber dinghy. More than 25,000 migrants have died or gone missing on the central Mediterranean route between North Africa and Italy since 2014, according to the IOM, including 1,810 last year and 542 in the year to date.
Time Out
7 days ago
- Time Out
This new NYC pool is one of the largest in the city, and it's opening this week
Summer in the city is getting a serious upgrade—and it's not just the temperature. Starting Friday, June 27, New Yorkers can officially dive into one of the largest public pools in the city: the brand-new Gottesman Pool at Central Park's northern edge. Set within the gleaming, $160 million Davis Center at the Harlem Meer, the 285-foot-long, oval-shaped pool is the crown jewel of a five-year redevelopment project that replaced the outdated Lasker Rink and Pool. While it's not the largest public pool in the city (the 54,450-square-foot Astoria Pool in Queens holds that title), it will comfortably fit more than 1,000 swimmers and, with sleek glass doors opening to the pool deck and landscaping designed to flow with the park, the space looks more boutique resort than city facility. The Gottesman Pool opens the same day as the rest of New York City's 51 public outdoor pools, part of the city's free summer swim program. Hours are 11 a.m.–7 p.m. daily, with a mandatory cleaning break from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. No ID is needed for entry but bring a sturdy lock—it's required for access—and leave your lunch and devices at home. (No, seriously: No snacks. No Kindles. No neon shirts—only plain white Ts are allowed on the pool desk.) The new Davis Center doesn't just offer splashy aesthetics, either. It's home to locker rooms, picnic seating and facilities to distribute free lunches to schoolchildren. Come fall, the pool will morph into a turf field and then an ice rink come winter, part of the Center's all-seasons promise to Harlem and northern Manhattan. The Gottesman Pool is just one part of Mayor Adams' Let's Swim NYC initiative, a billion-dollar investment in swimming infrastructure citywide. With climate change bringing more extreme heat, the city is treating pools not just as amenities, but as essential infrastructure, especially in neighborhoods vulnerable to high temperatures.
.jpeg%3Fwidth%3D1200%26auto%3Dwebp%26quality%3D75%26trim%3D0%2C0%2C0%2C0%26crop%3D&w=3840&q=100)
Scotsman
19-06-2025
- Scotsman
Royal Highland Show History: Here are 29 amazing pictures from the show in the 1950s and 1960s
Held annually in June at the Royal Highland Centre in Ingliston, the Royal Highland Show is organised by the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland and is taking place this week. With over 1,000 exhibitors, 6,000 animals, and up to 190,000 visitors, it is by far the largest event of its type in Scotland, generating over £200 million in business and offering prize money of over £1 million. The first Royal Highland Show was held in 1822 at Edinburgh's Canongate, where the Scottish Parliament now stands, and moved to different locations in Scotland each year. The Ingliston site became the permanent home of the show in 1960 and it has been held there ever since – originally running from Sunday-Wednesday and later from Thursday-Sunday, The 'royal' title was bestowed upon it by King George VI at the 1948 show held in Inverness. A range of livestock is exhibited at the show each year, including sheep, cattle, goats, horses, ponies, donkeys, and poultry. Prizes are awarded to the best animals, with the most prestigious livestock honour, the Queen's Cup, rotating between the champions of the various types of livestock – in 2025 it will be awarded to the best goat. Being a showcase for all things rural and agricultural, the show includes large exhibits of agricultural machinery and supplies, equine supplies and outdoor sporting goods, while a wide range of associations set up stalls to promote their interests. Meanwhile, the exhibition halls include shopping arena and a food and drink arena which are both dominated by Scottish producers. Other attractions include music being played at the two show bandstands, and competitions and events such as sheep shearing, show jumping, driving, tug-of-war, dog obedience trials, forestry, falconry, farriery and other rural pursuits. Here's what was going on at the show over 50 years ago. 1 . New home The Royal Highland Show's new permanent site at Ingliston in July 1959 with the Ellect Ross Tractor stand in the foreground. | National World Photo Sales 2 . Rainy day A view of the Royal Highland Show showing visitors making their way through the rain and mud. | National World Photo Sales 3 . On parade A trio of bulls being displayed at the Royal Highland Show in 1960. | National World Photo Sales 4 . Dressed to impress Mr MacRae and Mrs Sutherland dressed up for the Royal Highland Show. | National World Photo Sales
