- Old Basing
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Coordinates: 51°16′13″N 1°02′50″W / 51.2704°N 1.0473°W
Old Basing 
The Street, Old Basing
Old Basing
Old Basing shown within HampshirePopulation 7,232 OS grid reference SU664528 - London 49.6 miles (79.8 km) Parish Old Basing and Lychpit District Basingstoke and Deane Shire county Hampshire Region South East Country England Sovereign state United Kingdom Post town Basingstoke Postcode district RG24 Dialling code 01256 Police Hampshire Fire Hampshire Ambulance South Central EU Parliament South East England UK Parliament Basingstoke List of places: UK • England • Hampshire Old Basing is a village in the north-east of the English county of Hampshire. It is situated just to the east of Basingstoke, and in the 2001 census had a population of 7,232. Its former name is Basing (which several neighbouring village signs highlight), and while Basingstoke has grown, the 'Old' seems to suit Basing well.
Contents
History
Entrance gate to the Basing House ruins, Old Basing.
Old Basing was first settled around 700 by an Anglo-Saxon tribe known as the Basingas, who gave the village its name (the meaning being "Basa's people").[1] It was the site of the Battle of Basing on 22 January 871, when a Danish army defeated Ethelred of Wessex. It is also mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086.
The centre of the village, The Street, contains many old houses, and St Mary's Church. The River Loddon, whose source is in Worting to the west of Basingstoke, flows through the village, which is perhaps best known for the ruins of Basing House which was built between 1532 and 1561 on the site of a Norman castle. It was the home of the Marquesses of Winchester for several generations before being destroyed after a 24-week siege during the English Civil War.
Many names in modern Old Basing allude to the war, such as Cavalier Road and Musket Copse, as well as several sites named after Oliver Cromwell including Oliver's Battery, Cromwell Cottage and Oliver's, an award-winning fish and chip takeaway and restaurant.
The route of the former Basingstoke Canal also ran around Basing House and then through and around parts of Old Basing.
Governance
The village of Old Basing is part of the civil parish of Old Basing and Lychpit[2] and is part of the Basing ward of Basingstoke and Deane borough council.[3] The borough council is a Non-metropolitan district of Hampshire County Council.
Old Basing elects three councillors to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and is part of the Basingstoke constituency in elections to Parliament.
The current Member of Parliament for Basingstoke is Maria Miller (Conservative) and the current councillors are Patricia Read (LibDem), Stephen Marks (Conservative) and Sven Godesen (Conservative).
Education
Old Basing provides both an infant school and a junior school. The junior school, named St Mary's, is aided by the Church of England. A new primary school has recently opened in nearby Lychpit. Children from Old Basing proceed to a variety of secondary schools in the Basingstoke area. The senior schools include Costello and a catholic school called Bishop Challoner.
Sport
Basing Rovers F.C. is the local football team, founded in 1886. The Recreation Ground in Old Basing plays host to a variety of sporting events as well as the Old Basing Carnival. There are rugby union and football pitches which overlap a cricket ground in addition to five tennis courts (of which one is free), an archery area and a lawn bowling green.
Literature
Edward Lear makes reference to Old Basing in his Book of Nonsense of 1846 (number 37):
"There was an Old Person of Basing,
Whose presence of mind was amazing;
He purchased a steed,
Which he rode at full speed,
And escaped from the people of Basing."References
- ^ Ekwall, E. (1940). "The Concise Dictionary of English Place-names". Oxford: Clarendon Press.
- ^ "Hampshire County Council’s legal record of public rights of way in Hampshire". 2008. http://www.hants.gov.uk/rh/row/maps/1721.pdf. Retrieved 28 October 2010.
- ^ "Basingstoke and Deane Wards info". 2010. http://www.basingstoke.gov.uk/council/councillors/wardsinfo.htm. Retrieved 28 October 2010.
External links
Towns, villages and hamlets in the Basingstoke and Deane District of Hampshire, England 
Towns Civil parishes Ashford Hill with Headley · Ashmansworth · Baughurst · Bramley · Burghclere · Candovers · Chineham · Cliddesden · Cole Henley · Dummer · East Woodhay · Ecchinswell, Sydmonton and Bishops Green · Farleigh Wallop · Hannington · Herriard · Highclere · Hurstbourne Priors · Kingsclere · Laverstoke · Litchfield and Woodcote · Mapledurwell and Up Nately · Monk Sherborne · Mortimer West End · Newtown · North Waltham · Nutley · Oakley · Old Basing and Lychpit · Overton · Pamber · Preston Candover · Rooksdown · Sherborne St John · Sherfield on Loddon · Silchester · St Mary Bourne · Steventon · Stoke · Stratfield Turgis · Sydmonton · Tufton Warren · Up Nately · Upper Woodcott · Upper Wootton · Upton Grey · Tufton · Turgis Green · Wadwick · Wells-in-the-Field · West Heath · Weston Corbett · Weston Patrick · Whitnal · Whitway · Winslade · Woolton Hill · Wolverton · Wolverton Common · WoottonVillages and hamlets Adbury · Aldermaston Soke · Aldern Bridge · Andwell · Ashe · Ashe Warren · Ashford Hill · Ashley Warren · Axford · Axmansford · Binley · Bishop's Green · Bramley Corner · Bramley Green · Broadmere · Brock's Green · Brown Candover · Charter Alley · Chilton Candover · Deane · East Oakley · Ecchinswell · Ellisfield · Ewhurst · Hare Warren · Headley · Heath End · Ibworth · Inhurst · Litchfield · Little London · Lower Woodcott · Lower Wyke · Malshanger · Mapledurwell · Middle Wyke · Nately Scures · Newfound · Newnham · Newtown Common · North Oakley · North Sydmonton · Old Basing · Old Burghclere · Pamber End · Pamber Green · Pamber Heath · Penwood · Plastow Green · Quidhampton · Ramsdell ·Districts of
BasingstokeCategories:- Basingstoke and Deane
- Villages in Hampshire
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