Tadley

Attractions and places to visit | Travel and visitor information

A large part of the parish of Tadley was included from a very early date in the manor of Overton, therefore there are frequent references to Tadley in documents relating to Overton. However, Tadley did have an independent manor of its own which was initially called Tadley and later called the manor of Withford or Wyford. In 1166 it was the property of William Hotot and in 1305 it passed to the de la More family. In 1496 the Ludlow family inherited the manor by marriage. Henry Ludlow was lord of the manor in 1625 and was a very unpleasant character, tyrannizing his tenants by pulling down their houses and refusing to pay their wages, rates and taxes. After Henry's death in 1639 the history of the manor is uncertain, but it is known that by the end of the seventeenth century it had passed into the hands of the Wither family, with whom it remained for some while. At the beginning of the twentieth century the owner was Major William Archibald Hicks Beach.

Originally the parish was heath land and common land covered in gorse and blackberries, with a few scattered settlements. Bricks used to be made at Tadley Common and the manufacture of besom brooms was, and still is, another local industry. Relics of these industries can be seen in the names of houses in the village such as Kiln House and Broom Cottage. A congregational chapel was founded in Tadley in 1662; this may be identified with a chapel which was converted into the first village school in 1820. In recent years Tadley has become a township, with residential estates covering the former heath lands. Development has occurred on either side of the Hampshire/Berkshire border following the growth of a government establishment in the 1950s and the designation of Basingstoke as a London overspill town in the 1970s.

Further information on attractions to discover in the area and other interesting villages to visit is available.  For information on public services for Tadley please take a look at the Tadley local pages.

Attractions and Places to Visit

Basing House - The ruins of England's last castle.
Basingstoke Canal Path - Follow the Towpath Trail.
Milestones Museum - Hampshire's superb collections of industrial & everyday life.
Sandham Memorial Chapel - A unique work of art.
Stratfield Saye House - Home of the Iron Duke.
Upton Grey Manor House Garden - One of Gertrude Jekyll's finest creations.
The Vyne - A National Trust property
The Wayfarers Walk - Through the heart of Hampshire.
Wellington Country Park - 350 acres for family pleasure and adventure.
The Willis Museum - Basingstoke town & country life.
Yateley Country Park - 476 acres of beauty.

Cinema, Theatre and Arts Centres in the North East Hampshire area.

Travel Information for Visitors

Tourist and Other Information sources

Local Information Point

Tadley Library
Mulfords Hill,
Tadley,
Basingstoke,
Hampshire, RG26 3JE

Telephone: (01189) 814595

Local Council

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council,
Council Offices,
London Road
Basingstoke

Telephone: (01256) 844844

Parking in Tadley

Good variety of parking within the town.

Refreshments

Good variety of pubs, and other places to eat.

Access by Public Transport

Public Bus Services operates within the town and surrounding area.