Administrative Boundary of Windsor and Maidenhead

About Windsor and Maidenhead

Windsor and Maidenhead is a royal borough and unitary authority in Berkshire, southeastern England, covering approximately 197 square kilometres along the Thames Valley. With a population of approximately 152,000 (2021 Census), Windsor and Maidenhead encompasses two very different but equally remarkable places: Windsor, one of the most historically significant towns in the world and home to Windsor Castle, and Maidenhead, a prosperous Thames-side commuter and business centre. History and Heritage Windsor's history is inseparable from that of the English monarchy. The town grew in the shadow of Windsor Castle, the great royal fortress on a chalk bluff above the River Thames, and has served the crown as a military, ceremonial, and residential base for nearly 1,000 years. Windsor Castle was founded by William the Conqueror immediately after the Norman Conquest (around 1070), chosen for its strategic position commanding the Thames approach to London. The castle has been modified, expanded, and embellished by almost every subsequent English and British monarch, with the Round Tower at the castle's centre serving as the iconic image of royal England. Windsor Castle is the largest inhabited castle in the world, covering approximately 13 acres within its walls, and is one of the official residences of the British Royal Family. The State Apartments, which contain an extraordinary collection of royal paintings, armour, and furnishings including works by Rubens, Van Dyck, Rembrandt, Holbein, and Canaletto, are open to the public. St George's Chapel, built in its current form between 1475 and 1528, is the spiritual home of the Order of the Garter (England's highest order of chivalry, founded by Edward III in 1348) and the burial place of ten English and British monarchs, including Henry VIII and his third wife Jane Seymour, Charles I, and most recently George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. The funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, took place at St George's Chapel in April 2021; the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II was held at Windsor in September 2022, and she is buried there alongside her husband. Eton College Eton College, situated in the village of Eton directly across the Thames from Windsor Castle, is one of the most famous educational institutions in the world. Founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as a charitable college to provide free education to poor scholars, Eton evolved into England's leading elite public school. Its alumni include nineteen British Prime Ministers (including the Duke of Wellington, Gladstone, Harold Macmillan, Alec Douglas-Home, David Cameron, and Boris Johnson), numerous heads of state, scientists, authors, and military commanders. The distinctive Eton uniform of tailcoats and striped trousers, the college chapel, the school's rowing culture, and its role in shaping the British establishment have made Eton a cultural and political landmark well beyond its educational function. Windsor Great Park Windsor Great Park, a royal landscape of approximately 2,020 hectares (5,000 acres) stretching south from Windsor Castle, encompasses ancient oak woodland, deer park, formal gardens, a cascade, lakes, and Long Walk — a three-mile avenue of trees connecting Windsor Castle with the equestrian statue of George III (the Copper Horse) on Snow Hill. The park has been a royal hunting ground and landscape since the Norman period and is managed by the Crown Estate. Virginia Water, an artificial lake created in the 1740s at the southern end of the park, is a popular destination; the adjacent Valley Garden and Savill Garden are nationally significant ornamental gardens. LEGOLAND Windsor Resort, located within the Royal Borough, is one of England's most popular family theme parks, built on a Scandinavian concept of an educational and entertaining experience for young children. Maidenhead Maidenhead, on the Thames 7 miles from Windsor, is a prosperous commuter and commercial town. The town is the location of the Maidenhead Railway Bridge (1838), designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel for the Great Western Railway, whose two principal arches are the widest and flattest brick arches ever built — a remarkable Victorian engineering achievement. Population and Demographics The 2021 Census recorded 152,000 residents. The borough is predominantly White British (approximately 82%) and among the most affluent local authorities in England. Ascot Racecourse, home to Royal Ascot, is one of the world's most famous horse racing venues. GIS and Boundary Data The administrative boundary of Windsor and Maidenhead unitary authority is available for free download in GeoJSON and KML formats, sourced from the ONS Open Geography Portal (Crown copyright 2024). Compatible with QGIS, ArcGIS, Mapbox, and Google Earth, the dataset supports heritage conservation, royal estate management, urban development planning, demographic analysis, and transport infrastructure research across the Windsor and Maidenhead local authority area.

📍 Administrative boundary of Windsor and Maidenhead county