About
Basing House preserves the ruins of what was once the largest private residence in Tudor England — a great palace complex built by the Paulet family on a site in the Hampshire village of Basing, two miles from Basingstoke. At the height of its grandeur in the early 17th century, the site covered some 14 acres and encompassed two separate houses — the Old House and the New House — alongside elaborate gardens, service courts, and extensive ancillary buildings. The scale of Basing House, equivalent to a royal palace in its complexity and size, reflected the extraordinary wealth and ambition of the Marquesses of Winchester, one of the most powerful noble families in Tudor England.
The site's place in history, however, is defined not by its construction but by its destruction. During the English Civil War, the Royalist garrison under John Paulet, 5th Marquess of Winchester, held Basing House against Parliamentary forces for over two years — from August 1643 to October 1645 — in one of the most remarkable and prolonged sieges of the entire conflict. The house's motto was 'Aymez Loyauté' (Love Loyalty) and the defenders called it 'Loyalty House', repelling multiple Parliamentary assaults and enduring bombardment, starvation, and disease in defence of the Royalist cause.
The siege ended dramatically in October 1645 when Oliver Cromwell himself arrived to command the final Parliamentarian assault. After a fierce battle in which around 300 defenders were killed or captured, the house was stormed and taken. Among the survivors found in the ruins was Inigo Jones — the greatest English architect of the age, who had taken refuge at Basing — discovered 'wrapped in a blanket' according to contemporary accounts, aged 72. After the battle, Cromwell ordered the palace to be demolished and 'slighted' — systematically destroyed — to prevent it ever again serving as a Royalist stronghold. Within weeks, one of the greatest private residences in England had been reduced to rubble.
Today, the site managed by Hampshire County Council preserves the substantial earthworks, foundations, and partial walls of this extraordinary complex, alongside a Civil War garden reconstruction, a small museum displaying finds from excavations, and interpretation throughout the site. Exploring Basing House is an experience of layered history — Tudor ambition, Civil War drama, and the physical evidence of sudden, violent destruction — in a setting of extraordinary atmospheric power.
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Plan Your Visit
⏱️ Recommended Visit Duration
📅 Best Times to Visit
Quietest: Wednesday, Thursday
Busiest: Saturday, Sunday
💡 Weekday visits for a quieter experience; special event days offer living history and re-enactment
💡 Visitor Tips
- Basing House is free to enter and the extensive earthworks and ruins reward unhurried exploration — allow at least two hours to walk the full site, visit the museum, and take in the Civil War garden.
- The site is primarily outdoors — wear sturdy footwear and bring a waterproof, as the ground can be muddy after rain and the Hampshire countryside weather is unpredictable.
- Civil War re-enactment events bring the history to life with particular vividness — check the Hampshire County Council website for the events calendar before visiting and time your trip to coincide with a scheduled event if possible.
- Combine Basing House with a visit to the Willis Museum in Basingstoke (free) and Milestones (paid) for a comprehensive day of Hampshire heritage — the four museums in and around Basingstoke (adding The Vyne) form an outstanding cluster.
- The story of Inigo Jones at the siege is one of the most extraordinary footnotes in English architectural history — look for the interpretation about his presence and consider that one of England's greatest architectural geniuses was discovered 'wrapped in a blanket' in these ruins.
- Old Basing village is charming and a short walk away — combine the site visit with a stop at the village pub for a pub lunch in an authentic Hampshire setting.
- The earthworks at Basing House are among the best preserved Civil War siege earthworks in England — for anyone with an interest in military history or the English Civil War, this is a site of the first importance.
Highlights
The Scale of the Tudor Palace — 14 Acres
At its height in the early 17th century, Basing House covered approximately 14 acres, making it the largest private residence in Tudor England — exceeding the scale of all but the royal palaces. The site encompassed two distinct houses (the Old House, incorporating a medieval castle keep, and the New House, a grand Elizabethan addition), elaborate formal gardens, service courts, stabling, and extensive ancillary buildings.
Walking the earthworks today, visitors can trace the outline of this vast complex — the scale of the defensive earthworks alone gives a compelling sense of the ambition and wealth of the Marquesses of Winchester at their peak.
The Great Civil War Siege of 1643–1645
Basing House's place in history rests entirely on the extraordinary siege of 1643–1645, when the Royalist garrison under John Paulet, 5th Marquess of Winchester, held the house against Parliamentary forces for over two years. At a time when most Royalist garrisons were collapsing, the defenders of 'Loyalty House' repelled assault after assault, enduring bombardment, starvation, and disease rather than surrender.
The siege became a symbol of Royalist defiance — and the scale of the eventual Parliamentarian response, requiring Cromwell himself to command the final assault, indicates just how significant the garrison had become to both sides.
Cromwell's Assault — October 1645
The storming of Basing House on 14 October 1645 was one of the most dramatic single engagements of the English Civil War. Oliver Cromwell led the final Parliamentarian assault personally, breaching the defences and overwhelming the garrison. Around 300 defenders were killed or captured in the assault — a significant loss of life for a single engagement.
The house was plundered, and multiple people seeking shelter there, including a Catholic priest, were killed. Contemporary accounts describe the violence of the assault with unusual frankness, and the interpretation at Basing House engages directly with the event in all its complexity.
Inigo Jones — Survivor of the Siege
Among the most remarkable facts about the fall of Basing House is that Inigo Jones — the greatest English architect of the 17th century, designer of the Banqueting House, the Queen's House, and the pioneering classical architecture that transformed English building — was present at Basing when it fell.
Jones, who was 72 at the time and had probably taken refuge there as a Catholic, was found by Parliamentary soldiers 'wrapped in a blanket' in the ruins, having been stripped of his possessions. He survived the assault but the humiliation and physical ordeal broke his health, and he died less than two years later.
The connection between Basing House and Inigo Jones adds an extraordinary architectural and cultural dimension to the site.
Collections
The Basing House collection consists primarily of archaeological finds recovered from excavations on the site, spanning both the Tudor domestic occupation of the palace and the Civil War period of the siege. Tudor material includes ceramic vessels, architectural fragments, metalwork, and glass reflecting the affluent household of the Marquesses of Winchester at their peak in the 16th and early 17th centuries.
Civil War material includes musket balls, cannon shot, military equipment, and objects from the garrison and its opponents, providing tangible evidence of the siege and storming of October 1645.
The standing fabric of the ruins — the earthworks, partial walls, foundations, and structural remains — constitutes the primary element of the heritage on the site, supplemented by the reconstructed Civil War garden. The collection is displayed in the small site museum and through interpretation panels throughout the extensive grounds.
Loyalty House — The Civil War Siege of Basing
The main museum display explores the two-year siege of Basing House (1643–1645), from the establishment of the Royalist garrison under the 5th Marquess of Winchester through the repeated Parliamentary assaults and the final storming by Cromwell in October 1645. Artefacts from the siege, maps, and contemporary accounts bring the events to life.
📍 Site museum
Tudor Splendour — Basing House Before the Civil War
Explores the history of the Paulet family and the development of Basing House from the medieval castle to the great Tudor and Elizabethan palace complex, tracing the family's rise to become Marquesses of Winchester and one of the wealthiest noble families in England.
📍 Site museum
The Ruins — A Self-Guided Trail
Interpretation panels throughout the earthworks and ruins guide visitors around the site, explaining the function and history of each area including the Old House, the New House, the defensive earthworks, and the Civil War garden reconstruction.
📍 Site trail
Themes
Time Periods
Current Exhibitions
No current exhibitions. Please check the museum website for updates.
Nearby Museums (3 within 6 miles)
Milestones — Hampshire's Living History Museum
History & Archaeology
Basingstoke — ~50 min walk (2.6 mi)