Basing House
With a National Art Pass you get
Explore the ruins of Basing House in Hampshire, which was the largest private house in Tudor England, until it was destroyed by Cromwell in 1645.
The once grand property boasted 360 rooms and in its heyday was visited by monarchs including Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. Today all that remains of the building are banks, ditches, cellars and broken walls, but you can still get a feel for the enormity of the majestic house that was owned by Sir William Paulet, the first Marquess of Winchester, Royalist and Lord Treasurer of England.
Search the Great Barn for battle scars
The Great Barn, is one of the largest examples of its kind in England. You can still see the artillery damage on the barn's walls from an attack by the Parliamentary army in 1643, which led to it being nicknamed 'The Bloody Barn'.
The Walled Gardens
Take a stroll through manicured shrubbery and visit the renovated Lady of the House garden where horticultural historians have designed the walled gardens following the Jacobean design principles and the Paulet family's heraldic devices, in an attempt to recreate a sense of their original splendour.
Explore the museum
Visit the Basing House Museum and discover what life at the house was like in Tudor and Elizabethan times, learn about the English Civil War and the events leading up to the demise of the once great house.
Take in the view
Set in 14 acres of grounds, you can get perspective on the site and the nationally important ruins from a viewing platform, which also give a panorama of the local Basingstoke area.
Visitor information
The more you see, the more we do.
The National Art Pass lets you enjoy free entry to hundreds of museums, galleries and historic places across the UK, while raising money to support them.