BASINGSTOKE, (Hampshire) 16 m. N.E. of Winchester, 39 cm. and 48 mm. from London; from whence it is a great thoroughfare
in the road to the W. 'Tis a large populous T, with a great Mt. for all sorts of corn, especially barley, here being a
great trade in malt, as there is also in druggets, shalloons, &c. 'Tis a mayor T. with a recorder, 7 ald, 7 capital
burgesses, &c. Besides the ch. here was a very neat chapel, now ruinous, built by William, the first Ld. Sandys in the R.
of Hen. VIII. The roof of it was adorned with the history of the prophets, apostles, and disciples of Christ. Near it is a
fr. s. besides which, here are 3 ch. scs. in one whereof 12 boys are taught, cloathed, and maintained by the skinners
company in London. K. Hen. III. founded a hos. here for the maintenance of altar priests. The adjacent country, though
surrounded with woods, is rich in pasture, and sprinkled with fine houses, and a brook runs by the T. which has plenty of
trout. Its Fairs are W. in Whitsun-week, and Sepr. 29. Mt. on W.