Windsor (Berkshire)
Windsor [ wɪnzə ] is a town in the English county of Berkshire. It lies on the River Thames and on the southwest of London. The city has 28,324 inhabitants and is part of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead. The name is a shortening of Windleshore ( mutatis mutandis: spiral riverside ).
In Windsor there are Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British Royal Family, and Frogmore House, a former residence. For this reason, has Windsor, although it is only a small town, about two train stations, a theater and a number of hotels. Local attractions also include the Legoland theme park, which was built a few years ago on the territory of former safari parks. Windsor is across from Eton, separated by the River Thames. The leading Windsor Bridge over the river is passable only for pedestrians today.
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History
The founding Windsors goes back to the time of the Anglo-Saxons. The town grew quickly due to its location on the River Thames, and thus at the former main artery between London and Central England. In the Domesday Book of 1086 Windsor is listed as a site with a few hundred inhabitants, for that time already a larger settlement. William the Conqueror added Windsor to his lands.
First, consisted of only the settlement of Old Windsor. However, William built a castle, Windsor Castle, near the settlement Clewer. The castle went over time a number people, so slowly around Windsor Castle around formed a new settlement. The first built out of wood castle was built in the 11th century from stones new and of the kings Henry II ( 1154-1189 ) and Henry III. (1212-1272) developed and intensified.
1277 Windsor received from the king a charter that the inhabitants guaranteed certain rights and the dealers allowed to join together in a guild. A weekly market was held. Since 1350 also fairs were held twice a year.
After a period of decline in the 15th century Windsor gained in importance in the 16th century again. The building of St. George 's Chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle was begun in the reign of King Edward IV (1416-1483), but only during the reign of King Henry VIII completed in 1528.
In the English Civil War Windsor in 1642 occupied by the Parliament troops. An attempt by the royalists in October of the same year, retake Windsor and the Castle failed. Windsor remained until the end of the war in the hands of parliamentarians.
Towards the end of the 16th century Windsor had more than 2,000 inhabitants; In 1801 there were then 3,361. Until 1851, the population had doubled ( 6734 ), towards the end of the 19th century lived more than 9,000 people in Windsor.
The Industrial Revolution of the 19th century, the significant changes that many English cities, walked past Windsor. 1844 a rail link between Windsor and London was put into operation.
Today's image Windsors is dominated by tourism and banking and financial services company. Many residents commute like to Slough or London.
Traffic
Windsor is connected via the M4 motorway to the UK motorway network. From the Windsor and Eton Central train station for trains to Slough (from where Paddington in London reached) and to Maidenhead and Bristol. From the Windsor and Eton Riverside Station direct train services to London Waterloo. Both stations were built in the 19th century by two competing railway companies to create Queen Victoria the opportunity to go by train to Windsor. The former train station then received from her this privilege.
Museum train
In Windsor & Eton Central railway station is the locomotive "The Queen" of the special train, used to travel by Queen Victoria.