Basingstoke - The area dates back to the iron age and there are remains of earthworks including Dan Grange.
Basingstoke is recorded to have a market site in the Domesday Book. The ruins of a tudor palace can be found a couple of miles from the town centre in Old Basing.
In the 18th Century Basingstoke was a well known brewing centre but in 1881 the Salvation Army arrived and preached the sins of drink. This worried the people as they relied on the brewery for local jobs. There were even armed riots in the church square.
Basingstoke was also known for some infamous incidents such as witch trials and in the story of Mrs Blunden in 1764. Mrs Blunden was a fat, awful woman with a strong liking for drink. One evening she felt ill and asked her over worked maid foa a glass of wine but by mistake the maid poured her a glass of poppywater. Within minutes Mrs Blunden fell into a coma, because of the lack of medical knowledge, she was deemed dead. As it was a hot night her family thought it would be best to quickly bury her and she was buried in the Holy Ghost Chapel, Basingstoke. The next morning a group of children were playing in the church yard when they heard moans and tapping. They ran to get help but permission to dig up the grave took too long and when uncovered she was indeed dead.
In the late 1960’s the town centre was rebuilt and many buildings of historic interest were demolished and replaced by a concrete shopping centre.
Economy of Basingstoke is now centred round the industries of electronics, pharmaceuticals and insurance. It is also home to Britain’s oldest and most respected motor organisation , the AA, who have their head office in Basingstoke town.
A new shopping centre was opened in Basingstoke town named Festival Place in 2002. It has a huge variety of shops including major stores such as Bhs, Debenhams and Marks and Spencer. There are also cafes, restaurants and a multi-screen cinema.
The Haymarket Theatre’s future is uncertain as funding is under review, it would be greatly missed by the local residents.
There are public houses and four nightclubs in the locality two in town and two about two miles out of town.
Basingstoke has plenty of sports features including, in Porchester Sqare a sports centre with subterranean swimming pool, sauna and Jacuzzi whilst upstairs there is a gym, an aerobic studio and squash courts. There is also a playden for young children.
Outside the town centre there is a leisure centre housing a swim pool, ice rink, bowling alley and a ten screen cinema. It is also the sit of Milestones Museum which contains a network of buildings and streets base on the history of Hampshire.
The town also has its own football team, rugby club and ice hockey team.
The town has very good road and rail links which makes it a popular place with commuters although it is well known for it’s many roundabouts and is nicknamed doughnut city. London to Waterloo takes forty-five minutes from Basingstoke Station and there is easy access to M3 and M4 motorways.
Flats and houses for rent are plentiful, studios cost around £475 a month, l bed flats are approximately £595 per month and 2 bed flats average £600 - £825 per month. 3 bed houses are between £800 and £1000 per month.
Basingstoke Canal is a thirty-seven mile waterway and was once a busy route for barges but the last working barge went through in 1914. Recently the canal has been restored and has regained some of its attractive features.
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