Maidenhead
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Maidenhead is a town in Berkshire, England, and has a population of around 60,000. The town is part of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead. It lies on the west bank of the River Thames. Surrounding it lie:
to the east: on the opposite side of the river, the village of Taplow. A few miles further on is Slough, and after it the London boroughs of Hounslow and Uxbridge.
to the north: the Cookhams (Cookham Village, Cookham Rise & Cookham Dean). These lie south of the Berkshire-Buckinghamshire border, which is formed by the River Thames (which then bends southwards to form the Maidenhead-Taplow border)
to the south: the village of Holyport. Continuing by road to the South-East leads to the town of Windsor.
The (Brunel-built) Great Western Railway passes through the town, calling at Maidenhead railway station and offering convenient links to London and stations towards Bristol. Brunel's Maidenhead Railway Bridge is famous for its flat brick arches.
Maidenhead is in England's 'Silicon Corridor' along the M4 motorway west of London. Many residents commute to work in London, or the towns of Slough and Reading. Maidenhead offers reasonable High Street shopping facilities, multiplex cinema, leisure centre (with swimming pool), bowling alley and an arts centre (with theatre).
Maidenhead's industries include: computer software, plastics, pharmaceuticals and printing. The town is also a boating centre. Maidenhead's name originated from the wharf built on the river in 1297.
Maidenhead was home to the conference that agreed upon the Maidenhead Locator System standard.
Maidenhead Grammar School was converted into a (boys) comprehensive school in the 1970s, and renamed Desborough School. Maidenhead High School, similarly, became Newlands Girls' School.
The current MP for Maidenhead is Theresa May (Conservative). The mayor is Councillor Emrys Richards (Liberal Democrat).
History
Maidenhead is recorded in the Domesday Book under the name of 'Ellington' in the hundred of Beynhurst; the modern town of Maidenhead, however, originates from South Ellington.
The busiest part of the district was along the River Thames near the Great Hill of Taplow, ideal for both trade and access to the sea. This Hill was known to the Celts as the Mai Dun, and its corresponding wharf as the Mai Dun Hythe. It is from this wharf that the area became known as Maidenhuth, eventually superseding the name South Ellington.
In 1280 a bridge was erected across the river to replace the ferry and the Great Western Road was diverted in order to make use of it. This led to the growth of Maidenhead: a stopping point for coaches on the journeys between London and Bath and the High Street became populated with inns. The current Maidenhead Bridge, a local landmark, dates from 1777 at a cost of £19,000.
King Charles I met his children for the last time before his execution in 1649 at the Greyhound Inn, which is now a branch of the NatWest Bank. A plaque commemorates their meeting.
A significant river resort in the 19th century, Maidenhead was notably ridiculed in Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome.
With the railways beginning to expand in the mid-19th century, the High Street began to change again. Muddy roads were replaced and public services were installed — modern Maidenhead appears.
The boring bits:
OS Grid Reference: SU889811
Administration
Borough: Windsor & Maidenhead
Region: South East England
Nation: England
Other
Ceremonial County: Berkshire
Traditional County: Berkshire
Postal County: Berkshire
Maidenhead is a town in Berkshire, England, and has a population of around 60,000. The town is part of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead. It lies on the west bank of the River Thames. Surrounding it lie:
to the east: on the opposite side of the river, the village of Taplow. A few miles further on is Slough, and after it the London boroughs of Hounslow and Uxbridge.
to the north: the Cookhams (Cookham Village, Cookham Rise & Cookham Dean). These lie south of the Berkshire-Buckinghamshire border, which is formed by the River Thames (which then bends southwards to form the Maidenhead-Taplow border)
to the south: the village of Holyport. Continuing by road to the South-East leads to the town of Windsor.
The (Brunel-built) Great Western Railway passes through the town, calling at Maidenhead railway station and offering convenient links to London and stations towards Bristol. Brunel's Maidenhead Railway Bridge is famous for its flat brick arches.
Maidenhead is in England's 'Silicon Corridor' along the M4 motorway west of London. Many residents commute to work in London, or the towns of Slough and Reading. Maidenhead offers reasonable High Street shopping facilities, multiplex cinema, leisure centre (with swimming pool), bowling alley and an arts centre (with theatre).
Maidenhead's industries include: computer software, plastics, pharmaceuticals and printing. The town is also a boating centre. Maidenhead's name originated from the wharf built on the river in 1297.
Maidenhead was home to the conference that agreed upon the Maidenhead Locator System standard.
Maidenhead Grammar School was converted into a (boys) comprehensive school in the 1970s, and renamed Desborough School. Maidenhead High School, similarly, became Newlands Girls' School.
The current MP for Maidenhead is Theresa May (Conservative). The mayor is Councillor Emrys Richards (Liberal Democrat).
History
Maidenhead is recorded in the Domesday Book under the name of 'Ellington' in the hundred of Beynhurst; the modern town of Maidenhead, however, originates from South Ellington.
The busiest part of the district was along the River Thames near the Great Hill of Taplow, ideal for both trade and access to the sea. This Hill was known to the Celts as the Mai Dun, and its corresponding wharf as the Mai Dun Hythe. It is from this wharf that the area became known as Maidenhuth, eventually superseding the name South Ellington.
In 1280 a bridge was erected across the river to replace the ferry and the Great Western Road was diverted in order to make use of it. This led to the growth of Maidenhead: a stopping point for coaches on the journeys between London and Bath and the High Street became populated with inns. The current Maidenhead Bridge, a local landmark, dates from 1777 at a cost of £19,000.
King Charles I met his children for the last time before his execution in 1649 at the Greyhound Inn, which is now a branch of the NatWest Bank. A plaque commemorates their meeting.
A significant river resort in the 19th century, Maidenhead was notably ridiculed in Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome.
With the railways beginning to expand in the mid-19th century, the High Street began to change again. Muddy roads were replaced and public services were installed — modern Maidenhead appears.
The boring bits:
OS Grid Reference: SU889811
Administration
Borough: Windsor & Maidenhead
Region: South East England
Nation: England
Other
Ceremonial County: Berkshire
Traditional County: Berkshire
Postal County: Berkshire
Receive post updates by Email
Add my feed to your Rss
