Slough (pronounced [slau]) is a town
and unitary authority (Borough of Slough) in Berkshire, England. In the
2001 census the population was 119,070 (est. 122,000 in 2006). It is one
of the most ethnically diverse towns in the UK, situated some 22 miles
(35 km) west of central London and 20 miles (32 km) east of Reading.
It is home to the Slough Trading Estate, the UK's first such estate, the
largest in single ownership, and one of the largest in Europe overall.
This, coupled with extensive transport links, makes it one of the most
important business centres in the south east of England. It is also home
to part of Thames Valley University.
Slough is located at grid reference SU978797. The town is situated just
to the west of Greater London. Proximate towns include Windsor to the
south, Maidenhead to the west, Uxbridge to the northeast and Bracknell
to the southwest.
The "Heart of Slough" Project is a highly ambitious, multimillion
Pound plan for the redevelopment of Slough's Town Centre. The aim is to
create a leading European and national focus, and cultural quarter for
creative media, information and communications industries. It will
create a mixed-use complex, multi-functional buildings, visual landmarks
and a public space in the Thames Valley.
Most of the area was traditionally part of
Buckinghamshire and formed over many years by the amalgamation of
villages along the Great West Road. The first recorded uses of the name
occur as Slo in 1196, Sloo in 1336, and Le Slowe, Slowe or Slow in 1437.
It first seems to have applied to a hamlet between Upton to the west and
Chalvey to the east, roughly around the 'Crown Crossroads' where the
road to Windsor (now the A332) met the Great West Road[1]. The Domesday
Survey of 1086, refers to Upton, and a wood for 200 pigs, worth £15.
During the 13th century, King Henry III had a palace in Cippenham. Parts
of Upton Court were built in 1325, while St Mary's Church in Langley was
probably built in the late 11th or early 12th century, though it has
been rebuilt and enlarged several times.
From the mid 17th century, stagecoaches began to pass through Slough and
Salt Hill which became locations for the second stage to change horses
on the journey out from London.
By 1838 and the opening of the Great Western Railway, Upton-cum-Chalvey's
parish population had reached 1,502. In 1849, a branch line was
completed from Slough Station to Windsor and Eton Central railway
station for the Queen's greater convenience.
In 1863 Slough became a local government area for the first time, when a
Slough Local Board of Health was elected to represent what is now the
central part of the modern Borough. This part of Upton-cum-Chalvey
Parish became an urban sanitary district in 1875 and an Urban District
Council area in 1894.
Slough has 96 listed buildings. There are four Grade I: St Laurence's
church (Upton), St Mary the Virgin's church (Langley), Baylis House and
Godolphin Court; seven Grade II*: St Mary's church (Upton-cum-Chalvey),
Upton Court, the Kederminster and Seymour Almshouses in Langley, St
Peter's church (Chalvey), The Ostrich Inn (Colnbrook), King John's
Palace (Colnbrook); and Grade II listed structures include four
milestones, Slough station, and Beech, Oak and Linden Houses at Upton
Hospital.
1918 saw a large area of agricultural land to the west of Slough
developed as an army motor repair depot, used to store and repair huge
numbers of motor vehicles coming back from First World War in Flanders.
In April 1920 the Government sold the site and its contents to the
Slough Trading Co. Ltd. Repair of ex-army vehicles continued until 1925
when the Slough Trading Company Act was passed allowing the company
(renamed Slough Estates Ltd) to establish the world's first Industrial
Estate[3]. Spectacular growth and employment ensued, with Slough
attracting workers from many parts of the UK and abroad.
After the Second World War, several further large housing developments
arose to take large numbers of people migrating from war-damaged London.
Slough was incorporated into Berkshire in the 1974 local government
reorganisation. The old Municipal Borough was abolished and replaced by
a Non-metropolitan district authority, which was made a Borough by the
town's second Royal Charter. Britwell and Wexham Court became part of
Slough at this time, with their own parish councils.
On April 1, 1995, the Borough of Slough expanded slightly into
Buckinghamshire and Surrey, to take in Colnbrook and Poyle, which
received a joint parish council. Slough became a unitary authority on
April 1, 1998, with the abolition of Berkshire County Council and the
1973-1998 Borough. The present unitary authority was created a Borough
by the town's third Royal charter.