Before the Reformation, if you were an English Christian, you were almost certainly Roman Catholic. The local Roman Catholic places of worship were the medieval parish churches, most of which are still in use by the Church of England.

Everything was turned upside down with Henry VIII, ‘Bloody’ Mary and Elizabeth I. Switching from RC to C of E, RC again and then back to C of E! Things settled down and Roman Catholics lived in relative safety until Oliver Cromwell came along.

When Civil War broke out the Roundheads executed 11 Catholic priests and most Catholics sided with the Anglican monarchy. The Roundheads besieged Basing House but the ardently Royalist Catholic garrison refused to surrender and a quarter of its inhabitants were killed, including six priests.

The house was razed to the ground. The Marquess of Winchester was sent to the Tower and his sons taken away to be brought up as puritans.

Today there are two churches in Old Basing, the parish church of St Mary’s, a grade one listed building, dating back to the 16th century (but with much earlier origins), and a Methodist chapel.