Sherborne House, Basingstoke: Planning a Visit from Reading

A practical guide to visiting Sherborne House in Basingstoke from Reading, with train times, drive routes, nearby places to stay and the local stops worth building into a day out.

Getting from Reading to Basingstoke

Sherborne House sits in the Old Basing area on the eastern edge of Basingstoke, a short drive from junction 6 of the M3. From central Reading the quickest route is the M4 west to junction 11, then the A33 south through Chineham and into Old Basing, roughly 30 to 40 minutes depending on traffic around the Reading Gateway and Mereoak Lane. Direct trains from Reading to Basingstoke run frequently on the Great Western Railway line and take around 20 to 25 minutes, but Basingstoke station is about two and a half miles from Old Basing, so you will need a bus, taxi or a pre-booked car for the last stretch.

If you are staying overnight, Basingstoke town centre hotels cluster around Festival Place and Churchill Way, with a broad band of mid-range chains and a few independents. Reading hotels near the station and along the Kennet and Avon Canal suit travellers who want the town's restaurants and shopping first and a short train hop second. For a two-night stay covering both towns I would book in Basingstoke and use the train for a Reading day, because the last leg into Old Basing is easier by road than the onward journey from Reading late in the evening.

What to Expect at Sherborne House

The house is a Grade I listed building on the site of a former Tudor mansion, and the surviving Elizabethan great hall and chapel are the highlights for most visitors. Access is generally through organised tours or open days rather than unrestricted wandering, so check the current schedule with the site before you travel; do not assume the doors are open on a weekday afternoon. The setting is quiet and residential, with a walled garden and mature trees, and the visit itself rarely fills more than an hour or so.

That makes Sherborne House best combined with something else rather than treated as a full day out. The Basingstoke Canal towpath runs close by and offers an easy flat walk towards Odiham or Greywell, and the ruins of Basing House, a short distance away, add the Civil War story that the newer house replaced. Allow two to three hours for the house, the canal and Basing House combined. Spring and early autumn are the most comfortable months for the walk; midsummer is fine but the towpath has little shade in the middle of the day.

Building a Two-Day Itinerary

A sensible shape is to base yourself in Basingstoke for the first night, visit Sherborne House and Basing House in the morning, then walk the canal to Odiham for lunch. Odiham has a compact high street with several pubs and a good deli, and the drive back to Basingstoke takes about 15 minutes. On the second day take the train into Reading, where the Oracle and Broad Street offer the main shopping, and the riverside path along the Thames towards Caversham gives you a quieter hour before the return journey.

Book the Basingstoke hotel for both nights rather than splitting the stay, since the train between the towns is short and frequent and moving luggage twice wastes half a morning. Avoid the temptation to add Winchester or Newbury to the same trip; both are worth a day of their own and the extra driving eats into the time you would spend at the house. If you are visiting on a Saturday, arrive at Sherborne House early, as parking in Old Basing village is limited and the lanes fill up by mid-morning.

Where to Book and What to Skip

For this trip I would book a mid-range hotel in central Basingstoke within walking distance of Festival Place, which puts you close to the station for the Reading leg and gives easy road access to Old Basing. Prices in Basingstoke generally sit below comparable Reading rates outside of race days at Newbury and the Christmas shopping period, so a two-night stay is usually reasonable value. Book at least a fortnight ahead for weekend visits in spring and summer, and check whether your dates clash with an event that pushes local rates up.

Skip the Red Lion Hotel area if you need parking, and skip any plan that relies on public transport reaching Sherborne House directly, because the local bus service into Old Basing is limited in the evening. Do not bother with a guided tour if you already know the Elizabethan architecture well, as the house's interest is concentrated in two rooms. The canal walk and Basing House are the better use of an extra hour, and both cost nothing beyond a car park.

Questions, answered

How long does it take to get from Reading to Sherborne House?

Driving via the M4 and A33 takes roughly 30 to 40 minutes. The train to Basingstoke takes 20 to 25 minutes, but you then need a taxi or bus for the two and a half miles to Old Basing, so allow about an hour door to door.

When is the best time of year to visit?

Late spring and early autumn are best, when the canal towpath walk to Odiham is comfortable and the walled garden is at its most attractive. Midsummer is fine but the towpath offers little shade, and winter open days are less frequent, so check the schedule first.

Should I stay in Reading or Basingstoke?

Stay in Basingstoke. It is closer to Sherborne House and Old Basing, rates are generally lower outside event weekends, and the frequent train to Reading makes a day trip easy. Splitting the stay between both towns adds luggage handling for little benefit.

← Reading's page