Basingstoke
Basingstoke is an old market town in Hampshire, just off Junction 6 of the M3. There's plenty to do here if you're in need of a stop-off. Just watch out for all the roundabouts that have given Basingstoke its nickname of 'Doughnut city'! Take your pick from canal-side museums, Edwardian-style pubs, Tudor chapels and fantastic gardens. You should find something to suit you here...
Directions to Basingstoke from West Green House
The drive from West Green House to Basingstoke covers approximately 9.3 miles (15 km) and typically takes about 18 minutes via the A30 (London Road). After leaving the gardens via Thackham's Lane, you head southwest through Hook, following the A30 directly toward the town centre. While the route is largely straightforward, you are most likely to encounter traffic congestion at the Black Dam Roundabout, where the A30 meets the M3 and A33, and along the A30 corridor during peak morning and evening commuting hours. Once you enter Basingstoke, expect further delays near the railway station and the approaches to Festival Place, especially on weekends or during rush hour.
Milestones Museum
Imagine an open-air museum inside a massive modern building – a network of streets with shops, a village green and even a pub, dating from the Edwardian times! This fun and surprising living history museum is packed full of the things that ordinary people used in the past. There are regular exhibitions and family-friendly events. A great way to spend a few hours!
Address
Milestones Museum, Leisure Park, Churchill Way West, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG22 6PG
Directions from M3
From Junction 6 of the M3 follow the brown tourist signs for 'Leisure Park', driving clockwise around the ring road. At the Thornycroft Roundabout (you will see Milestones ahead of you), take the first exit into Churchill Way West (B3400), for Milestones and the Leisure Park. Go up to, and all the way round the next roundabout. Enter the Leisure Park via Entrance B, signed Milestones, and turn right. The museum lies straight ahead.
Useful Links
Milestone Museum (official website) (Opens in new window)
Facebook: MIlestone Museum (Opens in new window)
Basing House
Visit the remains of the Basing House, once the country's largest private house and the scene of the longest siege in the Civil War – when the house was bombarded and then seized by Oliver Cromwell. The earthwork banks and ditches of an earlier medieval castle dominate the ruins. Visitors can now see an exhibition about the House's fascinating history, join occasional guided tours, and watch period demonstrations. You can also walk through the re-created Jacobean Garden with its Tudor walls.
Address
Basing House, Redbridge Lane, Old Basing, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG24 7HB
Directions from the M3
Exit at Jn 6. Basing House is in Old Basing village, 1 mile east of Basingstoke. Follow the signs to Basing House car park which is is on Barton's Lane near the Millstone pub.
Useful Links
Basing House (official website) (Opens in new window)
Basingstoke Canal Visitor Centre
The Basingstoke Canal is one of Britain's most beautiful waterways, and a designated nature reserve. As you stroll along the tree-lined banks, admire the 200-year old bridges and locks. Children love the traditional canal boats and are likely to break out into song ("Rosie and Jim, Rosie and Jiiiim etc"). The best place to start your visit is at the Basingstoke Canal Visitor Centre at Mytchett, right on the Hampshire and Surrey border.
Address: Basingstoke Canal Visitor Centre, Mytchett Place Road, Mytchett, Surrey GU16 6DD
Telephone: 07305 340547
Email: Send email
Website: Basingstoke Canal
Admission times: April to September (Monday to Sunday): 10.30am-4.45pm). October to March (Tuesday to Thursday: 10.30am-4pm), Friday 10.30am-3.45pm). Please note some times are provisional, so check before you visit.
Admission charge: Free
Toilets: Yes
Refreshments: Yes
*Accessibility: Disabled Parking, Disabled persons toilet, Ramp/Level Access, Wheelchair user accessible
Gift shop:* Yes
Directions from the M3: Exit at Jn 4, follow A331 towards Farnborough, then come off at Mytchett
Willis Museum and Sainsbury Gallery
Basingstoke’s Willis Museum, housed in the Old Town Hall, is in the historic heart of Basingstoke close to Festival Place, the busy town centre. Discover Basingstoke and Deane’s past, from the rich archaeological heritage beneath our feet right up to the modern day. There is always something new to see with a regularly changing programme of special exhibitions, workshops, talks and events, plus family friendly activities, cafe, and gifts. At the Sainsbury Gallery visitors can see major regional and national exhibitions.
Address: Willis Museum and Sainsbury Gallery, Market Place, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 7QD
Telephone: 01256 465902
Email: Send email
Website: Willis Museum
Admission times: See website for details.
Admission charge: Free
Toilets: Yes
Baby change: Yes
Refreshments: Yes
Gift shop: Yes
Directions from the M3: Exit at Jn 6. Follow signs for Town Centre and then brown signs to The Top of Town.
The Vyne Tudor Mansion
This impressive 16th century house and estate dates back to Henry VIII's reign. Highlights include a Tudor chapel with extraordinary Renaissance stained glass, and the wonderful grounds, with lake, meadows, wetlands and woods. The large walled garden is being restored in the hope that it will provide the restaurant with seasonal produce.
Vyne Mansion: You don't have to be Dr Who to travel back in time here. Picture courtesy of the National Trust!
Address: The Vyne Tudor Mansion, Sherborne St John, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG24 9HL
Telephone: 01256 883858
Email: Send email
Website: The Vyne Tudor Mansion
Admission times: See website for details
Prices: See website for details
Refreshments: Yes
Directions from the M3: From the north take J6 of the M3, the A33 south of Reading and from the south take J7 of the M3. Follow signs for Town Centre and brown signs to The Top of Town.
Useful Links
Previous Stop: West Green House Gardens in Hampshire combineing acclaimed 18th-century walled gardens and neo-classical follies with a celebrated summer season of lakeside opera and immersive seasonal events
Next Stop: Swan Inn Barton Stacey A traditional Hampshire pub featuring cozy interiors with oak beams and open fires. It specializes in locally sourced seasonal food and real ales, offering both a refined dining experience and comfortable boutique guest rooms for a classic country escape.
