Windsor, Berkshire

Geography

Windsor is a historic town in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. It is famous for Windsor Castle, one of the official homes of the British monarch. The town is about 21.8 miles west of Charing Cross in central London.

Windsor is located near the River Thames, right across from the town of Eton. A smaller village called Old Windsor is just a little farther south. People used to call Windsor "New Windsor" to tell it apart from Old Windsor.

Etymology

The name "Windsor" comes from old words that might mean "winch by the riverside." Long ago, people called the place Windlesora. Later, meetings moved to a new place called the castle, which became New Windsor. By the late 1100s, the old settlement was called Old Windsor.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle old English Winsor Great Council castle Old Windsor

History

Windsor has a long and interesting history. Before the year 1066, people lived in the area, but not much is known about them. In 1070, William the Conqueror built a wooden castle there because it was in a good spot. Later, the town grew around the castle.

During the 1100s, the town moved from Old Windsor to New Windsor. New buildings like a church, a market, and a bridge were added. The town became important because it was close to the king and his castle. Many people came to work on the castle, which brought wealth to the town.

In the 1300s and 1400s, Windsor was rich and busy. People visited the chapel in the castle to see important items. The town had many inns and grew larger.

Later, during the time of Henry VIII and the English Civil War, Windsor had harder times. The town was poor and the buildings were old. But in the 1800s, when Queen Victoria started living there, Windsor became important again. New trains made it easier for people to visit, and the town changed a lot.

Religion

The original parish church of Windsor is dedicated to St John the Baptist and is near the High Street. It was built when King Henry I moved the Royal Court from Old Windsor to 'New Windsor'. By the time of Henry II, the church was already well known.

In 1818, the old church needed many repairs, so people decided to build a new one. The new church was finished in 1822 and has a special tower with bells. Over time, more parts were added, like the chancel and an organ. There is also a newer church called All Saints', located on Frances Road.

Tourism

Windsor is a popular place for visitors because of its famous castle. The town has many things to enjoy, like two train stations, a theatre, and big hotels. You can take boat trips on the River Thames to places like Maidenhead and Staines-upon-Thames. In the winter, there is an ice rink in Alexandra Gardens. Nearby is Legoland Windsor Resort, the only Legoland park in the United Kingdom and the largest Legoland park in the world. Legoland Windsor was built where the old Windsor Safari Park used to be.

Shopping

Windsor is a popular place for visitors. You can find many gift shops near the castle. There are also shops and restaurants inside Windsor Royal Station at Windsor & Eton Central railway station. The main shopping street is called Peascod Street.

Transport

Windsor has two railway stations. Windsor & Eton Central railway station is the end of the line from Slough. A train to Slough connects to London Paddington and Reading. Windsor & Eton Riverside station has direct trains from London Waterloo. Both stations were built in the 1800s for Queen Victoria.

Buses in Windsor are run by Thames Valley Buses, First Berkshire & The Thames Valley, and Reading Buses. There are many buses going to Heathrow Airport, Central London, and Legoland Windsor Resort. Windsor has a big coach park for tourists visiting Windsor Castle and the town. You can walk to it over a footbridge next to Windsor & Eton Central railway station.

Windsor is connected to Eton, on the other side of the River Thames, by Windsor Bridge. The bridge used to have cars, but now it is just for walking and biking. You can bike or walk along National Cycle Route 4 which goes from London to Fishguard.

Windsor is close to three big roads:

• the M3 (junction 3), 10 miles south via the A332, passing Ascot;
• the M4 (junction 6), 3 miles north via the A332, with the A355 spur to Slough;
• the M25 (junction 13), 5 miles east via the A308, which goes to Staines-upon-Thames.

Sport

Windsor has a strong sports community. The town's senior football team is Windsor & Eton F.C.. They play in the Combined Counties League Premier Division North. Their home ground is Stag Meadow. It was given to the original club by King George V in 1911.

The Windsor Cricket Club has its clubhouse and pitches at Home Park, next to Windsor Castle. The Windsor Rugby Club also uses Home Park and plays in the Southern Counties North division. Home Park is home to several other sports clubs, including hockey and archery clubs, as well as the Datchet Dashers running club. The Royal Windsor Rollergirls were one of the first roller derby leagues in the UK, founded in 2007. They stopped in 2023.

Education

Windsor has many schools for children of different ages. Young children up to age 9 go to first schools. Then students aged up to 13 attend middle schools. For ages 13 to 18, there are two secondary schools: The Windsor Boys' School and Windsor Girls' School.

The town also has independent schools, such as St George's School, Windsor Castle. Local news and radio are provided by the Windsor Express and community radio stations.

Governance

Windsor is governed by the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, which is a unitary authority. In November 2023, there were talks about making a civil parish for the town, but no decision was made.

In 2012, the role of town crier returned to the borough after 120 years. The current town crier is Chris Brown.

Further information: Windsor (UK Parliament constituency)

The current Member of Parliament for Windsor, which includes nearby towns like Eton and Datchet, is Jack Rankin from the Conservative party. He was first elected in the 2024 General Election.

Windsor was once called 'New Windsor' to differ from the nearby village of Old Windsor. It received its first charter in 1277 and became a municipal borough in 1836. In 1974, it became part of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, which can use the title of royal borough.

Twin towns

Windsor has special friendships with other towns. It is friends with:

• Goslar, in Germany, since 1969
• Neuilly-sur-Seine, in France, since 1955

Notable residents

Windsor has been home to many famous people. Some of these include King Charles III and other members of the British royal family. Other famous people who have lived in Windsor are actors, musicians, and athletes. For example, actor Sir Michael Caine once lived in a place called the Old Mill House in the nearby area of Clewer. The adventurer Ranulph Fiennes and musician Dhani Harrison, son of George Harrison, were both born in Windsor. Many other interesting people have lived in Windsor over the years.

Notes and references