Windsor is first mentioned in mediaeval
literature. The name originates from Winch-furnished-Riverbank, or
Windlesore, and was originally given to what is now called Old Windsor,
a royal manor since Edward the Confessor's time. Soon after 1066 William
the Conqueror selected a chalk outcrop on land owned by the manor of
Clewer (west of Windsor) as the location for a defensive motte and
bailey castle. The royal court transferred from Old Windsor to New
Windsor around 1110 during Henry I's reign. The town gained the right to
hold a market by 1261 (which is a sign of its status and royal
patronage) and was granted borough status by Edward I's charter of 1277.
The borough was one of those reformed by the Municipal Corporations Act
1835 and retained its status until the Local Government Act 1972 came
into force in 1974, merging the borough with other units to form the
Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.
The Shakespeare play "The Merry Wives of Windsor" is based in Windsor.
Windsor is a popular tourist destination
and location of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the
British royal family. The castle was originally established by King
William I of England but has been substantially altered and added to
over the centuries.
As a result of the royal residence Windsor has facilities usually found
in larger towns: two railway stations, a theatre and several substantial
hotels. The town is also the location of Legoland, built on the site of
Windsor Safari Park.