Basing House facts for kids
Basing House was a huge Tudor palace and castle in the village of Old Basing in England. It was once as big and fancy as Hampton Court Palace! Today, only parts of its basement, foundations, and earthworks (old defensive mounds) are left. These ruins are protected as important historical sites.
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History of Basing House
Building a Grand Home
Basing House started being built in 1531. It was made for William Paulet, 1st Marquess of Winchester, who was a very important treasurer for King Edward VI, Queen Mary I, and Queen Elizabeth I. A large barn nearby was finished in 1534, just before King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn visited.
Two Houses in One
Basing House actually had two connected parts. The "Old House" was built inside an older castle's defenses, like a ring of earth mounds and walls. The "New House" was built outside these defenses. A bridge and gate connected the two parts. The New House alone had about 360 rooms! It was built mainly to host all the people who came with the King or Queen when they visited.
Royal Visitors
Many important people visited Basing House.
- King Edward VI came in September 1552. He stayed for three days.
- Queen Elizabeth I visited in August 1560. She loved the house so much she joked she would have married Lord Paulet if he were younger! She came back in August 1569.
- In September 1601, Queen Elizabeth I hosted the French ambassador, the Duke de Biron. She hunted in the park and knighted 11 men.
- King James I visited in August 1603.
- Queen Anne of Denmark stayed in September 1603. There was dancing and a wedding engagement!
A House in Trouble
By 1629, the 5th Marquess, John Paulet, took over the house. The family had spent so much money on entertaining that they were almost broke. The house was very old and needed a lot of repairs. It had problems like rot, broken windows, and leaky roofs. So, the family moved out for a while, and the house was closed up.
The English Civil War and the Siege
When the English Civil War began in 1642, John Paulet supported King Charles I. Because of this, the Parliament's army tried to capture Basing House three times. The first two times, the King's supporters, called Royalists, managed to defend it.
The final attack started in August 1645. Colonel John Dalbier and his 800 soldiers surrounded the house. The defenders held out, even when more soldiers joined the attack. Then, Oliver Cromwell arrived with powerful cannons. By October 14, 1645, the New House was captured, and the Old House's defenses were broken. The final attack happened across the bridge connecting the two houses.
Many valuable things were taken, and a big fire destroyed the building. The attack was over in just 45 minutes, but the fires burned for up to nine hours!
After the War
To send a message to other Royalist supporters, Cromwell allowed local villagers to take bricks from Basing House. These materials were then used to build homes in the area. This was unusual, as normally, people were not encouraged to take materials freely.
John Paulet was sent to the Tower of London, but the charges were later dropped. The site of Basing House was returned to him by King Charles II. His son, Charles Paulet, 1st Duke of Bolton, became rich again by supporting William of Orange. He used this money to tear down what was left of Basing House and build a new house nearby at Hackwood Park.
Where is Basing House Today?
Basing House is in the village of Old Basing, about one mile east of Basingstoke in Hampshire, England. It is near the River Loddon.
Today, the extensive ruins and gardens are open to the public. You can still see parts of the basement, including the wine cellar, brick doorways, arches, and even some original plaster. There's also a vaulted tunnel. You can walk to the ruins from a car park nearby. Recent upgrades have been made with help from the UK Heritage Lottery Fund. The old Basingstoke Canal used to run around Basing House.
