Basing House

Basing House was one of the iconic sieges of the English Civil Wars. Basing was the home of the Marquis of Winchester, a supporter of King Charles I. Parliamentary forces made three attempts to take Basing House, with first two sieges being broken before it fell at the third attempt.

This experience on the 5th and 6th April at Basing House is presented by Col Stephen Hawkins Regiment.

It’s late summer of 1644, following the ill-fated attack on Odiham the Basing garrison have been pursued by Colonel Richard Norton back to Basing House. The garrison now reduced to 175 men with little food and ammunition dangerously low. Norton’s men, mortars and heavy artillery are once again besieging Basing House. With powerful Parliamentary garrisons in Abingdon, Reading and Newbury and the Kings army in the west, Basing was unlikely to be rescued.

The only hope is Colonel Gage’s relief column sent from Oxford which will have to covertly make the journey to Basing and defeat Norton’s troops to resupply the Garrison so enabling them to hold out until rescue by the Kings armies.

Set against the evocative backdrop of the ruins of the House, our living history camp (open 11:00 am Saturday and Sunday) provides an ‘up-close’ experience of aspects of military and civilian life during this turbulent period in our nation’s history.

On Saturday and Sunday at around 2.30 pm experience the sight and sound of the battle to take Basing House!

Book tickets to see this event – Basing House