Basing House: A Tudor Palace and a Civil War Battlefield

However, Basing House’s glory days came to an end during the English Civil War, when it was besieged three times by the Parliamentarian forces. The house was defended by the fifth Marquess of Winchester, who was loyal to King Charles I. The first siege lasted from August to November 1643 and ended with a Royalist relief force. The second siege lasted from November 1644 to March 1645 and ended with another Royalist relief force. The third and final siege lasted from August to October 1645 and ended with a brutal assault by Oliver Cromwell’s troops. The house was plundered, burned and demolished, and the Marquess was taken prisoner.

Today, Basing House is owned by Hampshire Cultural Trust, which has preserved and restored the ruins and grounds for visitors to enjoy. You can start your visit at the visitor centre, where you can see a display introducing Basing House and its history. You can also step inside the Great Barn, which dates from 1535 and still bears the scars of artillery fire. Then you can walk past the meadow to the ruins of the main house in Old Basing, where you can see the remains of the walls, cellars and towers. You can also visit the walled garden and the museum, where you can discover artefacts found on the site and learn more about the house and its people.

You can park for free at the car park off Bartons Lane. For more information, you can visit their website or call 01256 4639652.