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Basingstoke » Leisure And Entertainment » Museums Other
Basingstoke Museums Other
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About Basingstoke - show infohide info
Basingstoke is a large town in the county of Hampshire in the south of England. It is a well developed town with a higher than average living standard and low levels of unemployment. Basingstoke began as a Saxon village with a population of around 200 (this was considered quite large) by the time of Domesday Book in 1086. It had a weekly market and three watermills, and by the time of the Middle Ages, Basingstoke had become a small town. The town survived by growing most of its own food, where each man would own some strips in a field for farming. There was also a common where it was established that the townspeople all had a right to graze their own livestock. In 1392 Basingstoke was overcome by a fire, by regained its strength and in 1449 was granted the right to hold a fair. During the 17th century the wool trade declined as Basingstoke faced increasing competition from the north of England. However, in 1857 Millwards boot and shoe-making business began in Basingstoke. In 1860 there followed the development of an engineering firm, with the brewing industry growing equally successfully in the area. The arrival of the Salvation Army in Basingstoke in 1880 was not met with open arms. As teetotallers, they were unwelcome in Basingstoke as they were seen as a threat to the breweries. By 1961 new town plans were drawn up for Basingstoke to become an overspill town for London. Basingstoke is now a large and successful town, and it is primarily a financial centre. Basingstoke holds the headquarters of the Automobile Association and Sun Life Financial of Canada. Further industries include insurance, electronics, and pharmaceuticals.
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