Milestones museum leisure park churchill way west basingstoke rg22 6pg milestones. Putmilestones museum into our basingstoke holiday planner and find out whats close by, where to stay, and where to head next. It is named after george willis, a local clockmaker, antiquarian and former mayor of basingstoke, who became the first honorary curator when the original museum. Travel back in time to experience some of the changes that created the. Milestones living history museum hampshires top attractions. Visit a 1940s sweet shop and use a ration book to enjoy sweet treats. Pubs relax and unwind in one of our traditionalstyle pubs. Milestones museum of living history is a museum located on the leisure park in basingstoke, hampshire, uk. Buy an old penny and a ration coupon at reception and spend it in the 1940s sweet shop, or pop into. Basingstoke and deane is home to three museums, each offering something different. Further to my previous memory of basingstoke,and a reader mentioning odys groceries shop, i too remember it well, also yerburys hairdressers in winton sq and giffords store. Well even let you know about secret offers and sales when you sign up to our emails. Basingstoke police station the iconic facade is instantly recognisable.
In their life sized streets youll find buildings, shops and vehicles recreated. The former town hall, adjoining the old marketplace, houses the willis museum originally the basingstoke museum, until 1956. Since 1984, the willis museum has been housed in this impressive early victorian building that was once basingstokes town hall. Basingstoke to natural history museum 4 ways to travel. Milestones museum, basingstoke v084 the guildford institute. The exhibition is next on in basingstoke, spring 2020. We found the cafe quite expensive but was nice food. The willis museum is a local history museum in the market place, basingstoke, hampshire. Had a family day out to milestones museum in basingstoke it has something for. In this detailed recreation of life from the victorian times through until the 1930s and 1940s, you can travel the cobbled streets of yesteryear. Coach departs guildford north street at 10am and milestones museum at 3. Milestones museum will be closed to the public on friday 14 february. The museum is home to over 20,000 objects that were either made or used in hampshire, and is a record of the countys social, industrial and transport history.
The areas tudor past can be seen to this day in the ruins of basing house which stand in the village of old basing just outside the main urban sprawl of basingstoke. Last weeks flashback thursday featured some fond memories of the new market square and lower town area. The museum s galleries explore the boroughs rich archaeological heritage, from the iron age period through to the romans and saxons, as well as detailing the towns more recent past. Milestones immerse yourself in the past at hampshires museum of. Located in basingstoke, the fernbank hotel is in the city center and near a train station. Wifi and parking are free, and this hotel also features a restaurant. The willis museum provides an overview of the towns history and whitchurch silk mill is the last working mill of its kind in the south. Stroll through these old streets to soak up local history, and dont miss visiting the interactive penny arcade, designed to recreate the atmosphere of a typical 1910 pier. Milestones museum basingstoke 2020 all you need to know. George willis, a local clock maker, antiquarian and former mayor of basingstoke. You can read more about george willis by purchasing a copy of a small book. It has been around as a market town since the domesday book, but was developed as a new town, one of several constructed in the 1950s to accommodate overspill population from london. Fernbank hotel fernbank hotel is a 4star venue situated about 1.
The sewer works enjoy a guided tour of our sewage pumps and clarifiers. Basingstokes premier performing arts venue is the anvil, a short drive from the hotel in the town centre. Visit milestones museum on your trip to basingstoke or united. Take a step back in time and immerse yourself in the past on a visit to milestones, hampshires museum of living history. Willis museum and the anvil are cultural highlights, and travelers looking to shop may want to visit festival place and viables crafts centre. The first of these was an exhibition of diana stanleys works capturing old basingstoke in paint.
The willis museum is now located in the old town hall in the market place in basingstoke. The museum was originally housed in the old now demolished mechanics institute. Basingstoke past and present britain in old photographs. Norfolk house, in basingstoke, hampshire, england, was the headquarters of the automobile association from the mid1990s until 2003. A trip to milestones, hampshires living history museum in basingstoke, brings the past to life. At the start of the visit youll be issued with an audio guide to accompany your selfguided tour of the museum. Reviews of milestones museum in basingstoke milestones museum venue information. From cobbled streets to vintage vehicles, a 1940s sweet shop to a penny arcade, there is so much for everyone to see, do and enjoy at milestones, hampshires museum of living history. The willis museum is now located in the old town hall in the market place in.
This was founded and directed by alderman george w. Our basingstoke business hotel is near the m3 motorway and offers easy access to central bars and restaurants, the highstreet stores at festival place mall and anvil concert hall with its diverse performing arts. Willis museum and sainsbury gallery hampshire cultural trust. Theres no need to remember the good old days, at milestones living history museum you can live them. Exactly 21 years ago today, nicolsons newsagents was open for the very last time. The willis museum and sainsbury gallery, basingstoke, united kingdom. Basingstoke in hampshire and its surrounding locations dont have a typical history of the mysterious as some places around the uk might have that puts it in the national psyche as a town known for its paranormal activity and hauntings, but it does still happen to house stories and mutterings of ghosts that have survived even the modern concrete and glass buildings of this 1960s london overflow. His one time premises in wote street bears a commemorative plaque, and the original shop window, complete with recreated. No, carers do not need to book a ticket, but do need to show proof of eligibility on entry to the museum. Basingstoke photos, maps, books, memories francis frith.
Socalled because it loosely resembles a blacksmiths anvil, this ultramodern, multipurpose hall is known for its superb acoustics. The willis museum and sainsbury gallery home facebook. Compare every available hotel deal and airbnb near milestones museum, so book today to secure the best price. There are 4 ways to get from basingstoke to natural history museum by train, bus, taxi or car. It is named after george willis, a local clockmaker, antiquarian and former mayor of basingstoke, who became the first honorary curator when the original museum was established in the mechanics institute in new street in 1931. Sorry, there are no tours or activities available to book online for the dates you.
It was establishe d in 1931 by george willis, a local clock maker, antiquarian and former mayor of basingstoke. A team of museum assistants can help with enquiries, although visitors are advised to contact the museum on 01256 465902 to check their availability. In the middle ages basingstoke grew into a town, though a small one. In its formative years basingstoke started out as a small market town at the time of the anglosaxons and was later referenced in the doomsday book as being a royal manor. Immerse yourself in the past at milestones, hampshires museum of living history. Milestones brings the countys more recent past to life, with its 19th and 20th century street scenes. By the standards of the time, it was quite a large village. Some managed to relocate, others disappeared forever. Ming vases exhibition please be careful when taking that selfie. Take a trip down memory lane and experience milestone museum, an award. We loved this living museum, from mock buildungs, old arcade games, to old vehicles and even a real sweet shop that you can buy sweets from with your ration book. Explore the museums streets, shops and buildings to discover how people used to live, buy a ration of sweets from our 1940s sweet shop, view our unique collection of. In basingstoke, there were 3 watermills, which ground grain to flour. Almost 90 years ago, on january 22, 1931, the earl of malmesbury officially opened the doors to the basingstoke museum at the mechanics.
Basingstokes town hall has had several reincarnations in two locations over the centuries. History of the willis museum friends of the willis museum. The willis museum continues to function as it was first envisaged by george willis, as a local museum displaying basingstokes rich history, but has developed further, acting as a. Crowne plaza basingstoke hotel is a 5minute drive from basingstoke railway station and 40 minutes from heathrow airport lhr.
It was originally on the west side of the market place, at the junction between winchester street and church street and was known sometimes as the mote or moot hall, sometimes as the market hall or the town hall. Milestones is made up of a network of streets that have been recreated according to those found in victorian and 1930s hampshire. Milestones museum, leisure park, churchill way west. The museum cafe offers a selection of hot meals and light bites, hot and cold drinks and sweet treats. It was originally intended to replace fanum house as the aas hq, but ultimately the building was not large enough to accommodate all basingstoke based employees and both buildings operated concurrently. As well as that there was a tea shop on london rd, the good hostess and on hackwood rd i remember nancy noyes bookshop. Out with the old and awaiting the new basingstoke gazette. Basingstoke museum theres always something new to see. Twentyone years ago in may 1998, shops began to close. Select an option below to see stepbystep directions and to compare ticket. The real story behind basingstokes museum basingstoke gazette.