WINDSOR, or NEW WINDSOR, Berkshire, a market-town, muni cipal and parliamentary borough, and the seat of a Poor-Law Union, is situated on the right bank of the river Thames, in 51° 29' N. lat., 0° 37' W. long., distant 18 miles E. by N. from Reading, 22 miles W. by S. from London by road, 21 miles by the Great Western railway, and 26 miles by the South-Western railway. The population of the borough in 1531 was 9596. The borough is governed by six aldermen and 18 councillors, one of whom is mayor ; and returns two members to the Imperial Parliament. The living is a vicarage, in the arch deaconry of Berks and diocese of Oxford. Windsor Poor-Law Union contains six parishes, with an area of 22,407 acres, and a population iu 1551 of 18,449.
Windsor derives its importance, and perhaps its origin, from having been a favourite residence of many of the kings of England since the Conquest. The Saxon kings had a palace at Old Windsor, called Windlee-ofra, or Windleshora, from the winding course of the Thames in this part, and Edward the Confessor occasionally kept his court there; but it is a distinct parish, about 2 mile S.E. from New Windsor. In the reigns of William the Conqueror and William Rufus, the castle at Windsor was a military Henry L en larged and improved the castle and held his court there, and from this time it was the frequent residence of the king, in consequence of which New 'Windsor received many marks of royal favour. From having been a chepelry in the parish of Cleaver, it was constituted a separate pariah. Edward I. made it a free borough, and in his reign it first returned two members to Parliament ; from the 25th Henry VL (1447) it has regularly returned two members. Though situated on opposite banks of the Thames, Windsor and Eton form in appearance but one town, the line of houses being interrupted only by the bridge, erected in 1521, a neat structure of iron, 200 feet long and 29 feet wide, and consisting of three arches. The town is well lighted with gas, and paved. Among other recent improvements Hatchet Bridge has been removed, and two new bridges, both of iron, with atone piers, have been erected : Victoria Bridge, some distance above the old Hatchet Bridge, in connection with the new road from the South-Western rail way station ; and Albert Bridge, below old Hatchet Bridge, and about midway between it and Old Windsor, in connection with the new road to Staines.
The public buildings of Windsor (exclusive of those pertaining to the castle) are not in any way remarkable. The church is a spacious and convenient structure, in the perpendicular style, erected in 1822. A neat district church of gothic character was erected in 1842. Tho Wesleyan Methodists, Independents, and Baptists have places of worship. There are Free, National, British, and Intuit schools; a royal dispensary ; Brotherton'a hospital, founded in 1503, for eight poor persona ; Reeves' almahoune; founded in 1676; and a savings bank. The guildhall, or town-hall, erected in 106, Is rather a hand some building. In the hall, or court-room, are it number of portraits of the sovereign, of England and personages of rank. The town-hall was repaired and to a considerable extent remodelled in 1852, under the direction of Mr. Hardwick. The theatre is internally neat and convenient. The Great Western railway station, near the centre of the town, is a plain but convenient building. The South-Western railway station, in Hatchet-lane, is a moro ambitious edifice of red brick, with atone dressings; it is a somewhat quaint imitation of the Tudor style.
Windsor possesses no manufacture, but there are considerable ale breweries. The inhabitants are chiefly dependent upon the trade created by the residence of the court at Windsor Castle, and by the abode of many persona of rank and wealth in the vicinity, and the numerous' visitors who resort to the town. The market is held on Satur day. Fairs are held on Easter Tuesday, July 5th, and October 24th. On the west side of the town is a piece of meadow-land, surrounded with a gravelled walk, which is known as the ' Bachelor's Acre,' and is reserved, under the Incloaure Act, as a place in which to play at 'all sports and pastimes.' 'The Bachelor's Revel' is held here on August 17th, and attracts numerous visitors. On the Acre is an obelisk, erected by the Bachelors to commemorate the visit of Queen Charlotte and the princesses to their festival iu honour of the jubilee of George III. There are barracks for infantry and cavalry, the latter in Chimer pariah.