History of Slough facts for kids

Slough is a busy town in the English county of Berkshire. It's located just west of Greater London. Before 1974, Slough was part of Buckinghamshire.

The town grew a lot in the 1800s and 1900s. It started as several small villages, mostly in Buckinghamshire, along the Great West Road. The building of the Great Western Railway and later the Slough Trading Estate helped it grow even faster.

In 2001, about 119,070 people lived in Slough. It's known for being one of the most diverse towns in the UK. Slough is about 35 kilometers (22 miles) west of central London and 32 kilometers (20 miles) east of Reading.

Exploring Slough's Past: A Journey Through Time

Ancient Discoveries: What Was Slough Like Long Ago?

We can find clues about Slough's very old past through archaeology. Areas like Britwell and Farnham Royal have many prehistoric items. These include tools and other finds from the Stone Age (Mesolithic and Neolithic periods).

Archaeologists have also found evidence of people living here during the Bronze Age. There are even signs of activity from the late Iron Age and Roman times (43 AD to 409 AD). This includes pieces of pottery, old coins, and features like ditches and hearths.

Medieval Slough: Villages and Early Settlements

Most of the Slough area was traditionally part of Buckinghamshire. Over many years, different villages joined together. These villages were mostly along the Great West Road, which connected London to places like Bath and Bristol.

The name "Slough" first appeared in records around 1196. It might come from the wet, muddy areas (called "sloughs") formed by rainwater flowing from the Chiltern Hills to the River Thames. Or, it could be from Sloe bushes that grew nearby. The name first described a small village between Upton and Chalvey. These settlements, along with Salt Hill, formed a parish called Upton-cum-Chalvey.

The Domesday Survey of 1086 mentions Upton. It talks about a wood big enough for 200 pigs! St Laurence's Church in Upton is about 900 years old. It's the oldest building in Slough.

In the 1200s, King Henry III had a palace in Cippenham. You can still see the spot on maps today, called "Cippenham Moat". Parts of Upton Court were built in 1325. St Mary's Church in Langley was probably built in the late 1000s or early 1100s.

Montem Mound, also known as Salt Hill, is in Chalvey. We don't know exactly when it was built, but it's now a protected ancient site. Eton College used to hold special ceremonies here until 1844.

Stagecoaches and Stargazers: Slough in the 1700s

From the mid-1600s, stagecoaches started traveling through Slough. These coaches carried people and goods. In 1727, a law created the Colnbrook Turnpike Trust. This group managed the Great West Road.

Slough and Salt Hill became important stops. They were the second place where stagecoaches would change horses on the journey from London. Many inns like the Crown in Slough grew up to serve the travelers.

A famous astronomer, William Herschel (1738–1822), lived in Slough with his sister Caroline. He built a huge 12-meter (40-foot) long telescope in his garden. With this telescope, they created the first real map of the universe! A monument in Windsor Road remembers his amazing work. William Herschel is buried in St Laurence's Church in Upton.

By 1838, just before the Great Western Railway opened, the population of Upton-cum-Chalvey parish was 1,502 people. Slough was known for making bricks and for its hotels. These hotels were popular with visitors to the royal family at Windsor Castle.

The Railway Arrives: How Trains Changed Slough

The Great Western Railway came to Slough in June 1838. At first, Eton College didn't want a station built too close. So, trains would just stop in Slough, and people would get on. Tickets were sold from the Crown coaching inn.

However, a proper station was built and opened by June 1840. Queen Victoria made her first ever train journey from Slough station to Paddington on June 13, 1842.

In 1849, a special branch line was built from Slough Station to Windsor & Eton Central railway station. This made it even easier for the Queen to travel to Windsor Castle.

An interesting event happened in 1845. A man named John Tawell committed a crime in Salt Hill. He then fled to Slough Station and got on a train to Paddington. But the electrical telegraph had just been installed! A message was sent ahead to Paddington with his description. This helped police catch him. This is believed to be the first time the telegraph helped catch a criminal.

Even as factories started to appear, Slough was still seen as a nice, quiet place away from London. In 1843, the Upton Park area began to be developed.

Growing Up: Slough Becomes a Town

In 1863, Slough became a local government area for the first time. A group called the Slough Local Board of Health was chosen to look after the central part of the town.

The Grand Junction Canal spur arrived in 1882. Also, in the late 1800s, large brick-making factories came to Langley. This caused the town to grow a lot towards the north. The center of the town moved, and the name "Slough" became more common than "Upton-cum-Chalvey."

Slough has many historic buildings. There are 96 listed buildings in total. Four of them are Grade I listed, which means they are very important. These include St Laurence's church and St Mary the Virgin's church in Langley.

The Slough Trading Estate and Modern Slough

In 1918, a large area of farmland west of Slough was turned into an army motor repair depot. It was used to store and fix many vehicles returning from World War I.

In 1920, the government sold this site to the Slough Trading Co. Ltd. They continued to repair old army vehicles for a while. Then, in 1925, a special law allowed the company (now called Slough Estates Ltd) to create an Industrial Estate. This estate grew very quickly, creating many jobs. People moved to Slough from all over the UK and other countries to work there. Large housing estates like Manor Park and Cippenham were built for these new workers and their families.

Slough Urban District grew bigger in 1930. In 1938, the town received its first royal charter and became a municipal borough. This meant it had its own mayor and council.

During World War II, Slough became home to an Emergency Hospital for people injured in London. The town also experienced some air raids, especially in October 1940.

After the war, even more large housing areas were built. Many people moved from London, which had been damaged by the war. These new estates included Britwell and Langley.

In the early 1970s, the main A4 road was moved. This allowed for the building of a large shopping center called Queensmere. In 1974, Slough became part of Berkshire.

On April 1, 1995, the Borough of Slough expanded slightly. It took in Colnbrook and Poyle. Then, on April 1, 1998, Slough became a unitary authority. This means it manages all its local services itself, rather than sharing with a county council.