History in Basingstoke

Basingstoke has a long history of settlement. The Winklebury hillfort (two miles west of the town centre) dates from the Iron age and there are remains of several other earthworks around Basingstoke including Down Grange. Nearby a Roman road from Winchester to Silchester, which has acted as a natural boundary to town expansion. To the east of the area another Roman road runs from Chichester through the outlaying villages Upton Grey and Mapledurwell. The Harrow Way is also part of an older ancient route and still runs to the south of the town.

Basingstoke has held a Charter Market since before 1203, and is recorded as being a market site in the Domesday Book. The ruins of the Tudor palace of Basing House can be found two miles east of the town centre, in Old Basing. Population growth has been rapid since its designation as a London overspill town (often confused with new town status) in 1961: in 1951 there were only 16,000 inhabitants. Today it is famous for having a large number of roundabouts.

The name Basingstoke (Domesday; Basingestoches) is believed to have been derived from the town's location, the western settlement of the people of Baze. Basing, a village a few miles to the east, is normally considered to have the same etymology, but is believed to be the older settlement.

In the 18th century, it prospered as a major brewing centre, after the brothers Thomas and William May set up the May Brewery around 1755. When the Salvation Army arrived in Basingstoke preaching abstinence in 1881, the people were severely worried about the effect this would have on the brewing industry and local jobs. There were even armed clashes in Church Square. The May family were mayors and prominent benefactors of the town well into the 20th century, with May Place in the town centre being named for them.

In the late-1960s, Basingstoke town centre was completely rebuilt. At this time many buildings of historic interest were replaced by a large concrete shopping centre. The brutalism of the town's architecture, and its perceived status as a new town and haven for accountants and those with other occupations considered "boring", have led to Basingstoke becoming a comedic archetype for the soullessness of many modern British towns. It remains to be seen whether the opening of the new Festival Place shopping centre will do anything to soften this image and part the town with its "Boringstoke", "Basingjoke" and "Basingrad" nicknames. The most recent nickname is the somewhat sarcastic "Amazingstoke". Due the large number of high-rise office towers in its central business district, the nickname 'Dallas, Hampshire' has also been applied to Basingstoke.

The Basingstoke Gazette has recently launched the "A Place to be Proud of" campaign to raise the community awareness in the town - though with each new "community estate" being fairly self-sufficient, it is often easier to consider Basingstoke as a city-structure with separate community districts.

In 2003, Basingstoke was voted ninth, in the Crap Towns survey, which rated the worst places to live in Britain.

History of Basingstoke