THE RUINS OF BASING HOUSE 119 



of art, gold and silver plate, coin, and provisions ; and 

 all partook of it, from Cromwell to the rank and file. 

 ' One soldier had a hundred and twenty pieces of gold 

 for his share, others plate, others jewels.' No wonder 

 they had, with this dazzling prospect before them, 

 rushed to the assault ' like a fire-ilood.' 



They made a rare business of this pillage, taking 

 awav the valuables, and selling the provisions to the 

 <*ountry folks, who 'loaded many carts.' The bricks 

 and building materials vvere given away, prol)ably 

 because they could not wait for the long business 

 of sellino; them. ' Whoever will come for brick or 

 stone shall freely have the same for his pains,' ran 

 the proclamation, and, considering this, it is quite 

 remarkable that even the existing scanty ruins of 

 Basing House are left. 



The area comprised within the defences measures 

 fourteen and a half acres, now a tumbled and tangled 

 stretch of ground, a mass of grassy mounds and 

 hollows, overgrown in places with thickets. These 

 ruins are entered from the road by an old Inick 

 gateway, still bearing the ' three swords in pile ' on 

 a shield, the arms of the Paulets, with ivy over- 

 hangrino- and tall trees behind. A tall curtain wall 

 of l)rick, with a (juaintly peaked-roofed tower at 

 either end, now looks down upon the Basingstoke 

 Canal, which many strangers think is the moat, but 

 though a picturesque addition to the scene, it cannot 

 claim any such historic associations, for it was only 

 constructed close upon a hundred years ago. 



Near by is Old Basing church, with square tower 

 built of red brick, similar to that seen in the ruins 



