Discover Basingstoke, Hampshire

Basingstoke is a town in the borough of Basingstoke and Deane, in Hampshire, England. It is about 77 km (48 mi) southwest of London. It is a town with many roundabouts, leading to it being nicknamed the Doughnut City or Roundabout City. Basingstoke has a population of 84,000 people (2012 estimate).

Basingstoke, Hampshire, England: Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:London_Road,_Basingstoke_-_geograph.org.uk_-_22428.jpg
Author: David Medcalf


Basingstoke is stituated in a valley. The area has been inhabited since the Iron Age, as evident in the hillfort at Winklebury, about 3.2 km (2 mi) from the town center. The Romans also left their mark in the area, in the form of a Roman road that runs from Winchester to Silchester.

Basingstoke was already a market town when it appeared in the Domesday Book of 1086. During the English Civil War, the town was sympathethic to the Parliamentarians. Its local parish church St Michael's was damaged during the siege of Basing House between 1643 and 1645.

Milestones Museum, Basingstoke: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Milestones_Living_Museum,_Basingstoke_-_geograph.org.uk_-_40369.jpg
Author: Dave Jacobs


Basingstoke began to industrialize from the 17th century. Among the industries in the town include textile, malting and brewery. The British luxury brand Burberry was founded in Basingtoke in 1856.

Basingstoke was severely damaged during the Second World War. After the war it experienced rapid redevelopment. A big shopping center was built in the heart of town, replacing many of the historic buildings that were destroyed in the war. Part of the shopping center was rebuilt in 2022 and rebranded as Festival Place.

St Michael's Church, Basingstoke: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:St_Michaels_Church,_Basingstoke.jpg
Author: Roland Turner

Visiting Basingstoke

Basingstoke can be reached from London by taking the M3 motorway until Exit 6. The town is just beside the motorway.

Places of Interest in Basingstoke

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About this website

Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.