The Victoria History of Hampshire: Medieval Basingstoke

Basingstoke is frequently seen as a very modern town, theproduct of the last decades of the 20th century. In reality it has a long, richand prosperous history. From its beginnings c.1000it became a significant market centre for the area around, and a place on theroute to London from the west. By 1500 it was among the top 60 towns in Englandby wealth and taxpayers, and the centre of a major industrial area, whosemanufactured cloths formed part of international patterns of trade. Moreover,it is well documented particularly for the 15th and 16th century, when it wasat its peak, and should provide a useful addition to the limited number ofstudies of small medieval towns. Much of the old town has been swept away by the shopping centre,but something of the medieval footprint survives in its streetbeyond this, in a few surviving buildings and above all in its magnificentchurch. This book examines these features as well as the families, whether outsiders orlocals, who made the most of the new thriving economic conditions, and whosedynamism helped create the town's expansion.