Summary

Basing House is a multi-period site comprising a C12 circular ringwork castle with a quadrilateral bailey (known as the Citadel); the remains of the C16 ‘Old House’, built within the ringwork, and ’New House’ to the east, C16 curtain wall, gate and gardens to the north-east, C17 Civil War earthwork defences to the south and the remains of the C18 Basingstoke Canal to the north and east of the Citadel. Across the lane known as The Street to the north is the Grange which includes a C16 barn, C16 fish ponds, the buried remains of other C16 farm buildings and a C17 hunting lodge.

Source: Historic England

Details

PRINCIPAL ELEMENTS
The scheduled area is divided into two parts by a lane known as The Street. South of the lane the scheduling includes the earthwork banks and ditches of the Citadel and the remains of the Old and New Houses and the C17 Civil War earthworks (all Listed Grade II); the garden (walls listed Grade II); towers (Listed Grade II and II*) and curtain walls; the Civil War earthworks and the surviving part of the C18 Basingstoke Canal. This area is also a Registered Historic Park and Garden (Grade II). North of the lane, in the area known as Grange Field, the scheduling includes the Great Barn (Listed Grade I); buried remains of the C17 hunting lodge and other C16 buildings and culverts; and C16 fish ponds.

DESCRIPTION
The southern area of the site includes the circular ringwork, approximately 75m in diameter to the top of the bank which is around 10m high from the foot of the ditch. The remains of the Old House constructed within the ringwork consist of upstanding brick retaining walls and remains of a hexagonal kitchen range to the north-west. Subterranean remains include the cellar to the hall, footings of other buildings, a well and a large drain. A gap in the earthworks to the north, flanked by the foundations of a gatehouse, leads to the bailey which is reached via a Tudor bridge. The bailey is rectangular in plan and surrounded by a ditch. The foundations of a second gatehouse are located in the western side of the bailey. To the east of the bailey is the site of the New House, which extends to the eastern boundary of the site before being truncated by the line of the Basingstoke Canal. It has buried foundations and the remains of a large well. To the north are the partially revealed remains of a brick stable block.

To the south of the ringwork, and separated by a ditch of uncertain date, are the earthwork banks and ditches of three Civil War bastions. To the north-east of the ringwork stand the surviving sections of the Tudor curtain wall (with a height of between 2.4m and 3.7m and showing evidence of Civil War loopholes), at either end of which are two well-preserved octagonal towers. The eastern tower (listed Grade II) has a thatched roof and the western, which was later converted into a dovecote, a tiled roof (Listed Grade II*). The wall forms the eastern wall of a walled garden with a C20 parterre. To the east of the garden is an orchard where the casualties of the siege are reputedly buried. The remains of a further tower, at Turret Cottage, stand to the north-east (Listed Grade II). All walls and the towers/dovecote are of red brick English bond.

To the east of this tower is the only remaining unfilled section of the Basingstoke Canal extending as far as the Grade II listed canal bridge. At the north-west corner of the southern area of the site stands Garrison Gate (Listed Grade II), the only surviving gate to Basing House, enhanced by late-C19 rusticated battlements.

The northern area of the site includes the brick southern boundary wall (Listed Grade II), the Grange Field which contains the buried remains of the C17 hunting lodge and C16 farm buildings and culverts and three brick-lined C16 fishponds to the north. The listed C19 farm buildings and the southern farmyard are not included in the scheduled area.

EXCLUSIONS
All fencing, modern gates and bridges, roads, gravel paths, parterre, seats, information panels and signage, wooden ticket office, WC block, sandbox, the Great Barn (Listed Grade I), C19 buildings - Basing House and the Bothy (both Listed Grade II), wooden viewing platform and stairs on the southern bank of the ringwork and field gun display, are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath all these features is included.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

Basing House, a multi-period site encompassing a C12 ringwork castle, remains of a C16 Great House with its ancillary buildings and fish ponds, C17 Civil War defences and an C18 canal, is scheduled for the following principal reasons:
* Rarity: the monument includes a rare example of a C12 ringwork castle, approximately 200 of which are known to survive in England, and the remains of the largest non-royal C16 palace in the country;
* Survival: archaeological remains relating to the early medieval, medieval and post-medieval period are known to survive well. The ringwork is a particularly well preserved example;
* Historic interest: as the site of an important and well documented siege during the Civil War which is represented by physical evidence including earthwork defences;
* Potential: partial excavation and geophysical survey have indicated that the monument retains a high degree of archaeological potential for buried remains, especially from the C16 and C17.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Books and journals
Allen, D, Turton, A, Basing House (Guidebook), (2010)
Godwin, G N, The Civil War in Hampshire, (1904)
John Adair , , They saw It happen – Contemporary accounts of the Siege of Basing House, (1981)
Peter Harrington, , English Civil War Archaeology, (2004)
David Allen, , Alan Turton, , 'Current Archaeology 142' in Basing House, (1995), 388-392
David Allen, , Sue Anderson, , 'Hampshire Field Club and Archaeological Society - Monograph 10' in Basing House, Hampshire, Excavations 1978-1991, (1999)
Hughes, M F, 'Landscape Hist' in Hampshire Castles and the Landscape 1066-1216, (1989)
Stephen Moorhouse, , 'Post-Medieval Archaeology - Volume 4 (1970)' in Finds From Basing House, Hampshire (c.1540-1645): Part One, (1971), 31-91
Websites
Basing House, accessed from http://www.channel4.com/programmes/time-team/4od#2928279
Paulet, John, Fifth marquess of Winchester (1598?-1675), accessed from http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/21621?docPos=11
Paulet, William, First marquess of Winchester (1474/5?-1572), accessed from http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/21622?docPos=12

Source: Historic England