Maidenhead, town in Windsor and Maidenhead, south-east England. It is a residential town and riverside resort on the banks of the River Thames, about 50 km (30 mi) west of London. Originally named Maydenhythe, or "maiden's landing place", the stretch of the Thames from Maidenhead upriver to the small town of Marlow is reputedly the most picturesque of its course. Maidenhead was a coaching stop on the London to Bath route at the point where the road crossed the River Thames over a stone bridge, which was built from 1772 to 1777, and which replaced the original wooden 13th-century bridge. It was in the inter-war years that Maidenhead rose to fame as a riverside resort, becoming a fashionable location for London's glamorous high society. The local economy largely consists of service industries. The railway bridge across the Thames at Maidenhead is notable. It was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and constructed from 1837 to 1838; it comprises two of the widest brick arches ever built. Population (1992) 49,000.Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
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