Romsey Art Group

Romsey Art Group has made its home at the Mountbatten Gallery on Lee Church Lane, a short distance from Romsey town centre. The gallery occupies a Grade II listed Victorian chapel on the Broadlands Estate, a neo-Norman building designed by T. L. Donaldson and completed in the early 1860s.

The group was formally established in 1963. Shortly afterwards Lord Louis Mountbatten, then president, arranged for the artists to lease the former Lee Chapel. After renovation that included the installation of water and electricity, the group moved in and has remained there ever since.

Links with the Mountbatten family continue; the current president is the Countess Mountbatten of Burma. Members describe the building as the heart of the group—an inspiring and historic space set among countryside.

The community brings together painters, potters, sculptors and other makers, both amateur and professional. Regular activities include painting days, workshops, classes and pottery sessions. The group also stages public exhibitions at which original works—paintings, ceramics, sculpture and related pieces—are displayed and offered for sale.

Entry to these exhibitions is free. The gallery has also hosted student shows and occasional pop-up sales, and members take part in wider events such as Art in the Park in Romsey and Hampshire Open Studios.

Visitors encounter a working artists’ base rather than a conventional commercial gallery. During open exhibitions it is possible to view a broad range of styles, speak with makers, and purchase work directly. The historic interior and rural setting add character to the experience. Current exhibition dates and opening times are listed on the group’s website, as public access is tied to these events.

For anyone staying in or visiting the Romsey area who is interested in local visual arts, the Mountbatten Gallery offers a direct connection to a long-running community of practitioners and to a distinctive building with its own history.