The importance of the River Thames in the development of this lovely Berkshire town is brought to life at the Maidenhead Heritage Centre, writes Nicola Lisle.
OPENED in 1993, Maidenhead Heritage Centre traces the history of the town from its earliest settlers to the present day through paintings, photographs, posters, models, information boards and other artefacts.
Hunter-gatherers fished the waters here from prehistoric times, settling on land now known as Maidenhead Thicket. They were followed by the Celts, Romans, Saxons and Normans who variously fished, farmed, built wharves and used the river for transporting goods. A new wooden bridge across the Thames in the late 13th century, along with a new wharf, helped Maidenhead develop into a thriving inland port and market town.
During the 17th century, Maidenhead became a major coaching town on the London to Bath road, with about 90 coaches a day travelling through by its mid-18th century heyday. Coaching inns and other businesses sprang up, and the river played a central role in this new era of prosperity as a means of transporting goods.
But waiting in the wings was someone who would bring about another major transformation to the town – the great Victorian engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel.
In 1833, Brunel was appointed chief engineer by the Great Western Railway, tasked with establishing a rail link between London and Bristol. The arrival of the railway in Maidenhead in 1838 resulted in the rapid decline of the coaching business and its associated trades, but it opened up the river to the masses, turning the town into a fashionable tourist hotspot. Weekends on the river in Maidenhead became particularly popular with London society, from royalty to politicians and famous actors, writers and musicians of the day.
This golden era is a major feature of a permanent exhibition, The Story of Maidenhead, in the heritage centre. A Great Western Railway poster advertises the Upper Thames boating season, offering cheap daily tickets, weekend tickets, and a frequent train service, with rowing boats and yachts pictured approaching Brunel’s iconic red-brick railway bridge.
Completed in 1838 and opened on July 1, 1839, the bridge’s innovative design – featuring two wide, flat arches over the river – is now Grade I-listed. The right-hand arch (as you head upstream) is known as the ‘Sounding Arch’ due to its magnificent echo – notably demonstrated by Michael Portillo during the third series of Great British Railway Journeys, which first aired in 2012.
There are several information boards in the heritage centre about Brunel, the GWR and Maidenhead Bridge, as well as a model of the bridge and other artefacts in a display case.
Three miles north-east of Maidenhead is Boulter’s Lock, a popular spot for boating parties during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A copy of Edward John Gregory’s 1895 painting, Boulter’s Lock, Sunday Afternoon, hangs on a wall in the heritage centre and captures a typical scene with boats parading through the lock while onlookers watch from the bridge.
It’s worth seeing the rest of the exhibits and browsing the gift shop before heading to the river to find out more about its history. It’s about a mile to Maidenhead Bridge and Bridge Gardens, but worth the walk. Bridge Gardens, once the site of the Hungaria Hotel, is now a pleasant green space with seating and a fountain in memory of local benefactor Ada Lewis. Originally erected in 1908, the memorial served as a drinking trough for horses during Maidenhead’s coaching days.
Maidenhead Bridge was built in 1772-77 as a replacement for the old stone bridge. Walk up onto the bridge for spectacular views of the river. From here you can also see Roux at Skindles on the site of what used to be Skindles Hotel, once one of Maidenhead’s most popular riverside hostelries with a reputation for Clandestine meetings! The old hotel was demolished in 2015 to make for the current development.
Finally, check out the heritage centre’s online exhibitions, including Jewel of the Thames and Skindles, to enjoy in the comfort of your own home.
Visitor Information
Maidenhead Heritage Centre
18 Park Street, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 1SL
Open: Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-4pm
Admission charge
Reference library and gift shop
Getting here: Frequent train and bus services. Short walk from Maidenhead railway station; several bus stops in the town centre. By car, leave M4 at junction 8/9 and follow A308 to Maidenhead. Pay and display car parks nearby.
