Basing House was once the country’s largest private house with its principal resident being the powerful courtier, William Paulet.

Basing House is actually comprised of two structures; the original building was heavily fortified and was the main residence. At a latter date a second structure was built to function as servants’ quarters. The two houses were linked so as to allow people to pass back and forth through this area, and the path intercepts the primary defences for the building. It was this connection that ultimately led to the capture of the building during the Civil War.

Also amongst the ruins are various cannons that were once part of the site’s defences. Visitors will also find the remains of both the Medieval and Civil War earthworks that were so sturdy in their construction that they still stand today.

Basing House promises a unique insight and glimpse in to the life of the past. The architecture that still stands clearly harks to a time that is now long gone. Despite this fact there are still enough pieces left lying around to help fuel the imagination.

When visiting Basing House several different activities are on offer to help glean a vision of the past. Visitors can view an exhibition, take part in a parade depicting the history of events that took place in the past and join the occasional guided tour of the premises that seeks to further enlighten visitors. Guests can also indulge in a beautiful riverside stroll alongside the banks of River Loddon. This walk involves going past the Tudor Great Barn and the former manor fish ponds.

When in Reading, Basing House is a destination that should not be missed. Guests of the Millennium Madejski Hotel Reading can conveniently access this attraction and return afterward to a world of comfort with the hotel’s impressive range of facilities and services.