Unusual Places To Visit In North Hampshire
Sometimes you just want to do something a little bit different. We've investigated six really interesting places you could take your elderly friend or loved one.
Buried Alive At The Holy Ghost Cemetery
Here’s a story to make you shudder!
It’s the story of Alice Blunden, said to have been buried alive – twice – in 1674, after being mistaken for dead following an overdose of poppy water for pain relief.
Two days after burial, muffled screams were heard in the graveyard; she was found alive in her coffin, although badly injured from trying to escape. Poor Mary was so battered and bloodied after her ordeal that her family considered her to be close to death and returned her to her grave. They posted a guard, but he went to the pub to escape the bad weather.
The grave was checked the next day, and on opening the coffin it was found that Mary had obviously woken up and injured herself again trying to escape – but mercifully(?) had died in the process.
She is buried in the Holy Ghost Cemetery, where 1950s pathways made from old headstones lead to two Tudor chapel ruins (Chapel of the Holy Ghost and Chapel of the Holy Trinity), and a blue plaque had been placed at the Sherborne Road/Chapel Hill roundabout entrance in her memory
The cemetery is at: Chapel Hill, South View, Basingstoke RG21 5TB. Enter via Chapel Hill gate, where there is parking for about 3 cars.
St Michael's Church Cottage
Adjacent to the Grade 1 listed Saint Michael’s Church, Church Cottage is a Grade 2 listed building dating from the 16th–18th centuries and one of the oldest in Basingstoke.
The building was originally used for many years for weaving, dyeing and finishing cloth. In 1865 it became an infant school, and you can still see the groves in the doorway brickwork where the children sharpened their slate pencils.
Today the venue is used for meetings, Sunday schools and concerts etc. Events include Age Concern’s Community Cafe every Tuesday from 10.30 to 12.30, Neighbourcare’s Community Cafe on Wednesdays 10.30 to 12.00 (with an Information and Outreach Coordinator on the fourth Wednesday each month) and the Crown Heights Coffee Club on Thursdays 9.00 to 12.30. Home Instead have given presentations here on Scam & Fraud Awareness and the Importance of Good Nutrition.
A Church Cottage history book is available for £3 from the office.
Church Cottage can be found at: 13 Elbow Corner, Basingstoke RG21 7QW. Tel 01256 329528.
Wellington Riding Café
What a lovely way to spend an hour or three.
Wellington Riding is a leading equestrian training centre, set within 500 acres of the Duke of Wellington’s Hampshire estate. With a highly reputable riding school and seven superb arenas, they host events such as horse shows, trials, galas and dressage, and offer holiday clubs, residential schools and livery yards.
The amazing Wellington Riding café is open to the public. Enter the venue via automatic gates on the A33 and drive slowly down the tree-lined drive to the café (be alert for horse riders). Park up and access the café via the Clubhouse.
A bubbly Kate welcomed us and explained that all areas of the stables are fully accessible as they often have disabled riders in for schools and events.
Inside, there are plenty of sumptuous leather couches & coffee tables as well as hard dining tables and chairs, which are all set out for maximum viewing pleasure.
Order a cuppa, find yourself a table and enjoy watching the horses trotting around the indoor arena which is visible below. Why not have a bite to eat while you’re here – the food looks amazing. Alternatively pick an outside table and watch any events that might be on.
Wellington Riding is on Basingstoke Road, Heckfield, Hook RG27 0LJ, telephone 0118 932 6308
White Lion Antiques Centre
White Lion Antiques is a large antiques centre near Hartley Wintney where around 100 dealers market their wares. Do you enjoy watching Bargain Hunt on TV? – well here you can pretend to be part of the action.
The innocuous looking white building was an 18th century coaching inn and now contains three floors of antique furniture, garden paraphernalia, silverware, jewellery, retro items, vintage clothing, pictures & prints, china & glass … and many more collectables. You could spend the whole day here, browsing through this treasure trove of enchanting finds.
To keep you refreshed, there’s a lovely tea room, TyLea’s, offering late breakfasts and a surprisingly wide range of tasty lunches, cakes and drinks at reasonable prices. They also serve a selection of summer cocktails and takeaway teas, and open seven days a week.
There is ample free parking right outside the door or in the car park opposite. The majority of ground floor exhibits and TyLea’s are easily accessible.
You can’t miss White Lion Antiques, on the A30 London Road, Hartfordbridge, Hartley Wintney, Hook RG27 8AE, telephone 01252 844 000.
The Lasham Experience
Seven miles south of Basingstoke, Lasham Airfield is home to one of the world’s largest gliding clubs, Lasham Gliding Society.
The airfield was built for the RAF in the Second World War, and turned to recreational gliding in the early 1950s.
In the clubhouse is the Flight Deck Cafe, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner with daily specials throughout the week. It is accessible and open to the public, and you can watch the gliders floating above you through the panoramic windows.
After dinner why not pop into the 51 Degrees North bar, which offers a diverse range of beverages and hosts various events.
There is plenty of free parking, and a short paved walk to the clubhouse.
The airfield is also home to the Gliding Heritage Centre, open Sundays 2pm, with probably the largest collection of vintage gliders in the UK and a flight simulator using an actual 1953 vintage fuselage.
Lasham Airfield is off The Avenue, Alton GU34 5SS. Tel 01256 384 910.
The Base, Greenham Business Park
The Base, at Greenham Business Park, is a purpose-built visual arts and crafts building accommodating working artists, a specialist gallery for high quality touring exhibitions, and workshop space for arts classes. It’s a great place to explore and get into the art-making process, and the exhibits change regularly.
The Base is also home to a lovely “Honesty Group” run cafeteria, which is open seven days per week and offers good coffee and a delicious range of food and other drinks.
This venue is fully accessible from the rear car park, where there is disabled parking and even a charge point for electric cars. As you enter the building, the cafe is straight ahead of you and the main gallery as well as accessible toilets are to the right. A lift provides access to the first floor workshops.
Fancy yourself as an artist? There’s even a huge doodle wall where you can leave your own creative mark.
The Base is on Communications Road, Greenham Business Park, Thatcham RG19 6HN. Tel 01635 522 733.
Home Instead’s relationship-based home care services in Basingstoke and the surrounding areas could include taking your elderly loved one out for many more opportunities to discover local destinations, enjoy social interaction, or just get out of the house.
For more information please:
give us a ring on 01256 840 660,
email us at basingstoke@homeinstead.co.uk,
visit: Home Care in Basingstoke
or click on the enquiry button below.