Blobble Blog

An ancient town standing on the banks of the River Thames in Berks, England, Maidenhead began life as a Saxon settlement in the centuries before the Norman conquest. The name probable derives from an early name ‘Maiden Hythe’ and it was mentioned in the Domesday Book as ‘Ellington’. An early ferry which ran across the Thames river was replaced by a bridge in 1280, the Great Western Road was rediverted to utilise this new bridge. As a result Maidenhead became a popular stopping off point for coaches on the busy route between Bath and London, and this led to the growth of the historic town centre where many inns and establishments were erected, some still remain today such as the Bear Inn. The present day bridge over the Thames dates from 1777 its construction cost just 19,000 pounds. Maidenhead took on something approaching its present look after the arrival of the railway line in the 19^th century, it has continued to grow to this day. A nice way to approach the town is by boat along the river (weather permitting) and this stretch of the Thames is very attractive and popular with users of pleasure craft. When you have seen the best of Maidenhead, take a trip along the Thames to Cookham, a historic village, birthplace of English painter Sir Stanley Spencer, Cookham is a very attractive village which retains its old English village charm. Map of Maidenhead.