Battlefields›Siege of Basing House
English Civil War

Siege of Basing House

1643–1645
Hampshire, England
Also known as: Storming of Basing House
Era
English Civil War
Battle Type
Siege
Location
Hampshire, England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Royalists (Marquess of Winchester)
Forces
Royalists c.1,000–1,500. Longest Civil War siege; over two years.
VS
Victor
Parliamentarians (Cromwell)
Forces
Parliamentarians c.5,000–7,000
Outcome
House stormed October 1645; garrison put to the sword; house demolished
The Battle

History & Significance

The longest siege of the Civil War — over two years. The Marquess of Winchester's enormous mansion was a Royalist stronghold and Catholic household. Cromwell personally led the final storm; Inigo Jones was among those carried out semi-naked. The slaughter of the garrison and looting of one of England's greatest houses shocked contemporaries.

Casualties & Losses

c.400 killed in the final storm

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Protected heritage nearby

Scheduled Monuments near Siege of Basing House

Holy Ghost Chapel
Scheduled monument · ~0.4 miles
Basing House and the Grange Field
Scheduled monument · ~1.3 miles
Winklebury camp
Scheduled monument · ~1.8 miles
Oliver's Battery: a motte and bailey castle at Old Basing
Scheduled monument · ~1.8 miles
Pyotts Hill entrenchment
Scheduled monument · ~1.9 miles
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