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MAIDENHEAD

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Originally appearing in Volume V17, Page 428 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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MAIDENHEAD , a See also:

market See also:town and municipal See also:borough in the See also:Wokingham See also:parliamentary See also:division of See also:Berkshire, See also:England; 24i- M. W. of See also:London by the See also:Great Western railway. Pop. (1901); 12,980. See also:Area, 2125 acres. It is pleasantly situated on and above the See also:west (right) See also:bank of the See also:Thames, and is much in favour as a residential town and a resort of boating parties. Though of high antiquity it is wholly See also:modern in See also:appearance, and a large number of handsome houses have been built in its vicinity. A beautiful timbered See also:house of the 15th See also:century, how-ever, survives in Ockwells, a See also:short distance See also:south of the town. The See also:stone See also:bridge carrying the London road over the Thames See also:dates from 1772; but the See also:crossing is of See also:ancient importance. Maidenhead has See also:trade in See also:malt and See also:grain. The borough is under a See also:mayor, 4 aldermen and 12 councillors. The See also:history of Maidenhead (Maydenhutt, Maydenhith) is See also:bound up with that of the ancient bridge.

It is not mentioned in Domesday. See also:

Edward I. (1297) gave a See also:grant of pontage in aid of the bridge, which was almost broken down; similar grants to the " bailiffs and See also:good men of Maydenhithe " were made by succeeding sovereigns. In 1451 See also:Henry VI. incorporated the gild of the Brethren and Sisters of Maydenhith to provide certain necessaries for the celebration of See also:Mass and to keep the bridge in See also:order: the gild, dissolved at the See also:Reformation, was revived by See also:Elizabeth, who, however, later (1581) substituted for it a See also:corporation consisting of a See also:warden, bridgemaster, burgesses and commonalty: the governing See also:charter until the 19th century was that of See also:James I. (1685) incorporating the town under the See also:title of the mayor, bridgemaster and burgesses. In 1400 See also:Thomas Holand, See also:earl of See also:Kent, held the bridge in the interests of the deposed See also:Richard II., but was eventually forced to retire. In 1643 a See also:meeting took See also:place in the town between See also:Charles I. and three of his See also:children. In the 18th century a considerable trade was done in carrying malt, See also:meal and See also:timber in See also:barges to London: at that See also:time three fairs were held which have now practically disappeared. The Wednesday market is held under a charter of Elizabeth (1582).

End of Article: MAIDENHEAD

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