Maidenhead

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:

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• 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.

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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).

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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.

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Maidenhead was home to the conference that agreed upon the Maidenhead Locator System standard.

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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.

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The current MP for Maidenhead is Theresa May (Conservative). The mayor is Councillor Emrys Richards (Liberal Democrat).

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Maidenhead: History ►



 

Berkshire: :For other places named Berkshire, see: Berkshire (disambiguation)...

England: :For an explanation of often confusing terms like England, (Great) Britain and United Kingdom see British Isles (terminology)....

Windsor and Maidenhead: redirect Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead...