Basingstoke (/ˈbeɪzɪŋstoʊk/ BAY-zing-stohk) is a town in Hampshire, situated in south-central England across a valley at the source of the River Loddon on the western edge of the North Downs.

[3] Basingstoke became an important economic centre during the second half of the 20th century and houses the locations of the UK headquarters of Motorola, The Automobile Association, De La Rue, Sun Life Financial, ST Ericsson, GAME, Barracuda Networks, Eli Lilly and Company, FCB Halesway part of FCB, BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions (the leasing arm of BNP Paribas in the UK) and Sony Professional Solutions.

The name Basingstoke (A.D 990; Embasinga stocæ,[4] Domesday; Basingestoches) is believed to have been derived from the town's position as the outlying, western settlement of Basa's people.

[6][7] A Neolithic campsite of around 3000 BC beside a spring on the west of the town is the earliest known human settlement here, but the Willis Museum has flint implements and axes from nearby fields that date back to Palæolithic times.

The first recorded historical event in the area was the defeat of King Æthelred of Wessex and his brother Alfred the Great at Old Basing by the Danes in 871.

[10] During the Civil War, and the siege of Basing House between 1643 and 1645, the town played host to large numbers of Parliamentarians.

[17] In the 19th century Basingstoke began to move into industrial manufacture, Wallis and Haslam (later Wallis & Steevens), began producing agricultural equipment including threshing machines in the 1850s, moving into the production of stationary steam engines in the 1860s and then traction engines in the 1870s.

[18] Two traders who opened their first shops within a year of each other in the town, went on to become household names nationally: Thomas Burberry in 1856 and Alfred Milward in 1857.

A benefactor to the town, he paid for the building of a drill hall in Sarum Hill for the use of the Hampshire Volunteers (later used as a cinema and then a furniture shop) and a wing for the Cottage Hospital in Hackwood Road.

He also bought a piece of open space that was about to be sold for housing and let it at a low rent to the Basingstoke Cricket Club.

[21] Ordinary citizens were said to be shocked[22] by the emotive, evangelical tactics of the Salvation Army when they arrived in the town in 1880, but the reaction from those employed by the breweries or within the licensed trade quickly grew more openly hostile.

[30] As part of the London Overspill plan, along with places such as Ashford and Swindon, Basingstoke was rapidly developed in the late 1960s as an 'expanded town', in similar fashion to Milton Keynes.

As the population increased, the town produced more figures of national importance, such as the art critic Waldemar Januszczak and the actress Elizabeth Hurley.

[30][32] Situated in a valley through the Hampshire Downs at an average elevation of 88 metres (289 ft)[33] Basingstoke is a major interchange between Reading, Newbury, Andover, Winchester, and Alton, and lies on the natural trade route between the southwest of England and London.

[34] The unparished area includes Worting which was previously a separate village and parish,[35] extending beyond Roman Road and Old Kempshott Lane, which might otherwise be considered the town's 'natural' western extremity.

Basingstoke is situated on a bed of cretaceous upper chalk with small areas of clayey and loamy soil, inset with combined clay and flint patches.

To the north of this line, encompassing the areas of Chineham and Pyotts Hill, is London clay, which has in the past allowed excavation for high quality brick and tile manufacture.

The villages of Cliddesden, Dummer, Sherborne St John and Oakley, although being very close to the town limits, are distinct parishes.

Basingstoke is home to two theatrical organisations: the Haymarket, which is situated in the former Corn Exchange, and The Anvil,[49] which is near the railway station.

[50] Although ostensibly set in Hertford, Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice, written in 1797, is thought to have been based on her view of Basingstoke society two centuries ago.

A clear roof canopy was installed to protect the Malls from bad weather while still allowing natural light and air in.

[56] Also located at the leisure park are an ice rink, a bowling alley, an indoor sky-diving centre with ski and surf machines, a Bingo club and a ten-screen Odeon (formerly Vue prior to the takeover of the Ster Century cinema in Festival Place, and before that, Warner-Village) cinema, as well as a restaurant and fast food outlets.

Basingstoke is also the home of Rising Phoenix Cheer, a successful competitive Allstar Cheerleading programme for athletes from age 5 upwards, training at Aldworth school.

[citation needed] Basingstoke has a wide diversity for musical groups ranging from brass bands to symphony orchestras.

[68][69] The BBC national stations and DAB coverage is enhanced by a small relay just south of the town centre.

Bournemouth University's health and social care students can work on placement at the North Hampshire Hospital.

The central area of the town is encircled by The Ringway, a ring road constructed in the 1960s, and is bisected east to west by the A3010 (Churchill Way).

The Reading–Basingstoke line runs north-east to Reading and is part of an important through route for longer distance services to Birmingham and the North.

[75][76] A peak-time service is provided by Thames Valley Buses between Chineham Business Park and the railway station.

It followed another loop to go over small streams near the Hatch public house (a lot of this section was built over when constructing the M3) and headed across fields on an embankment towards Mapledurwell.