The History of Maidenhead

A Brief History of Maidenhead

Maidenhead is a town situated close to the River Thames and includes a long history stretching back to the Stone Age. Up until 1296, Maidenhead was known as South Ellington, the name cstemming from the fact that was located just south of the Norman settlement of Elentone. After 1296 the name Maidenhead was adopted but it was not until 1724 that the current spelling was adopted.

There have been at least 33 variations of the name found in records of the history of Maidenhead, including Maydenhith, Middenhithe, Maidenheath. There is a general consensus of belief that in this context ‘maiden’ means new and ‘hythe’ means a wharf or landing place.

It would seem likely that the settlement took the name of Maidenhythe from the new wharf or hythe that was erected alongside the wooden bridge, which provided the first Thames crossing on the main London to Bristol road. It was this bridge that first brought prosperity to Maidenhead.

The expansion of the town of Maidenhead began with the establishment of a railway, and grew susbstantially until the present day. Modern day Maidenhead is a significant town in the heart of the Thames Valley and home to many local and international businesses and celebrities.

Below you will find some key dates in the history of Maidenhead. If you are interested in reading more about the history of Maidenhead, many books are available to buy at the Maidenhead Heritage Shop or alternatively to you can take a look through some of the information contained on their website.

Maidenhead Historic Timeline

100/400 –	Roman Villa in Cox Green.
620 –	Saxon Warrier king Taeppa buried in Taplow.
997 –	Witan(Saxon parliament) meets in Cookham.
1086 –	Domesday Book – entries for Bray, Cookham, Elentone (modern North Town) …but Maidenhead does not yet exist.
1250 –	First wooden bridge is built and the town begins to grow.
1451 –	Guild of St Andrew & St Mary is founded – start of civic life.
1582 –	Royal Charter granted by Queen Elizabeth I.
1612 –	The Godayn Seal in use as the town seal.
1647 –	King Charles I’s last meeting with his children, at an inn in Maidenhead High Street.
1740 –	First Performance of Rule Britannia, at Cliveden.
1772 –	Boulters Lock built, the first ‘pound lock’ on the middle Thames.
1777 –	The present stone Maidenhead Bridge is built. Maidenhead’s prosperity is based on the coaching trade.
1839 –	Brunel’s “Sounding Arch” railway bridge is built and the Coaching era comes to an end.
1891 –	Artist Sir Stanley Spencer RA born in Cookham.
1894 –	Greatest Flood on Record.
1897 –	Diamond jubilee of Queen Victoria.
1903 –	Lifting of toll of Maidenhead bridge, after 750 years.
1914/18 –	In the first world war, Maidenhead suffers 900 casualties from a population of c. 13,000. Four Victoria Crosses are awarded to local people.
1927 –	Ivor Novello buys Redroofs at Littlewick Green as his country house.
1935 –	Opening of White Waltham aerodrome.
1940 –	Wartime HQ of Air Transport Auxiliary established at White Waltham.
1947 –	Most severe flood of 20th century.
1948 –	Maidonian rower Bert Bushnell wins a Gold Medal in the London Olympic Games for his victory in Mens Double Sculls
1950/66 –	Hammer, the ‘House of Horror’, make over 80 films in Bray.
1957 –	A Vanwall racing car, driven by Stirling Moss, becomes the first British car to win the British Grand Prix since 1934.
1957 –	First flight of the Fairey Rotodyne, the world’s first vertical take-off airliner, promising fast city-centre to city-centre travel.
1961 –	The Profumo Affair (at Cliveden).
1961 –	Completion of Maidenhead bypass – after 38 years!
1972 –	Buildling of relief roads, named after our twin towns in Germany, France and Italy.
1974 –	Local government reorganization replaces the Borough of Maidenhead with the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead.
1997 –	New parliament constituency of Maidenhead is formed.
2002 –	The Maidenhead Windsor and Eton Flood Alleviation Scheme (known as the Jubilee River) is opened, providing protection against floods of 1947 proportions.
2003 –	Worst floods since 1947. Maidenhead is saved by the Jubilee River, but there is severe flooding from Cookham to Hurley.
2003 –	Maidenhead Library, designed by Ahrends Burton & Koralek and completed in 1972, becomes the town’s first post-war listed building.
2004 –	Maidonian rower Cath Bishop wins Silver medal at the Athens Olympic Games.
2005 –	‘The Fat Duck’ at Bray voted the best restaurant in the world.
2006 –	Sounding Arch railway bridge used for commemorative stamp celebrating Brunel’s bicentenary.

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