Windsor Guildhall
| Windsor Guildhall | |
|---|---|
 The south side of Windsor Guildhall showing the Cornmarket, with the Statue of Prince George above and the 1829 extension on the right. | |
| Location | Windsor, Berkshire |
| Coordinates | 51°28′56″N 0°36′25″W / 51.4822°N 0.6070°W |
| Built | 1689 |
| Architect | Sir Thomas Fitz |
| Architectural style(s) | 17th century |
Listed Building – Grade I | |
| Designated | 4 January 1950 |
| Reference no. | 1117752 |
  Location of Windsor Guildhall in Berkshire | |
The Windsor Guildhall is the town hall of Windsor, Berkshire, England. It is situated in the High Street, about 100 meters (330 ft) from Castle Hill, which leads to the main public entrance to Windsor Castle. It is a Grade I listed building.[1]
History
A deed of 1369, now in the possession of Eton College, refers to the "gildaule", and a charter of 1439 states that "pleas happening in the said borough ... shall be pleaded and holden in the guildhall there, before the mayor and bailiffs for the time being".[2] A set of statutes and ordinances for the Guildhall were published in 1579–80 and confirmed by the Berkshire justices in 1592.[3]
Norden's map of 1607 shows a market house in the location of the present guildhall: the main part of it is raised on wooden pillars to allow the space beneath to be used as a covered corn market.[4]
The erection of the present guildhall was begun in 1687, under the direction of Sir Thomas Fitz (Fitch or Fiddes) but the story is that on his death in 1689, the task was taken over and completed by
The 1829 extension was a two-storey building at the back of the existing hall, designed by James Bedborough. Major restorations of the building were undertaken in 1851, and, following its use as a food office during the
Since the formation of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in 1974, the guildhall has been used by the borough council for ceremonies and committee meetings. On 9 April 2005, the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles took place there[7] and, on 21 December 2005, it hosted one of the first same sex civil partnership ceremonies to be held in England, that of Sir Elton John and David Furnish.[8][9][10] On 12 March 2011, the new Windsor and Royal Borough Museum was officially opened in the Guildhall by Queen Elizabeth II.[11][12]
See also
References
- ^ Historic England. "The Town Hall, Windsor (1117752)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
- ^ ISBN 978-0860230380.
- ^ "The royal borough of Windsor: The borough Pages 56-66 A History of the County of Berkshire: Volume 3". British History Online. Victoria County History, 1923. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
- ^ "A Description of the Honor of Windesor. 1607". Royal Collection Trust. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
- ^ ISBN 9780-9010-3309-3.
- ^ "Queen Anne – Windsor Guildhall – Great Britain". Waymarking. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
- ^ "Same day, different wedding". BBC News. 9 April 2005. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
- ^ "Elton John and David Furnish are dads". CNN. 28 December 2010. Archived from the original on 19 March 2011. Retrieved 7 October 2011.
- ^ Petre, Jonathan (6 December 2005). "Sir Elton picks royal venue for his 'wedding'". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- ^ "Sir Elton John and David Furnish celebrate their wedding in Old Windsor". Maidenhead Advertiser. 21 December 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- ^ "History of the Windsor Guildhall". Windsor and Royal Borough Museum. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
- ^ "The Queen opens the Windsor and Royal Borough Museum". BBC News. 9 December 2011. Retrieved 13 August 2020.