AN EXHIBITION into part of Basingstoke’s industrial past has been unveiled.

Guests attended Milestones Museum for the official opening of a display detailing the history of the Basingstoke Canal.

The 32-mile waterway runs from Byfleet in Surrey to Greywell near Odiham but once went all the way to where Basingstoke bus station stands today in Festival Place.

Work on the canal was completed in 1794. It was used for the transportation of heavy goods, but faced stiff competition from railways in the 19th century.

The Basingstoke Canal Society, a group of volunteers that helps to maintain the canal, created the exhibition, which has been open to visitors since November.

Basingstoke MP Maria Miller, a vice president of the society, officially opened the exhibition on February 7 after a speech by Philip Riley, the society chairman.

He said: “This is the story of the Basingstoke Canal and its importance to Basingstoke – and it is very important to Basingstoke.

“The arrival of the canal in the town marked a step change in the transport infrastructure in this area.”

Among the guests were current and former members of the canal society, Councillor Keith Chapman, executive member for culture, recreation and countryside at Hampshire County Council, and Ranil Jayawardena, Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate for North East Hampshire.

Roger Cansdale, who helped with the design of the exhibition, said: “It’s a good fit for the museum because there was a notable bit missing.

“We have been saying for some years that there was a bit of Basingstoke missing, and we wanted to do something about it.”