The Guildhall

The Windsor Guildhall was designed by Thomas Fitch (1636-88), and built by John Clark. The foundation stone was laid in 1687 and the work completed by 1690.

There had been previous Guildhalls since the Middle Ages, one outside the Lower Ward of the Castle, built before 1369. A wooden Market House was constructed in the High Street in 1592, but by the middle of the 17th century it was derelict.

In 1828 James Bedborough extended and renovated the Guildhall to the east, over the old butchers’ shambles, creating more rooms above. Four columns were moved into the centre of the Corn Exchange but a gap was left at the top, perhaps to show that the structure did not need extra support. Further restoration work was undertaken in 1852.

Since then the Guildhall has served as a Magistrates’ and Coroner’s court, a food hall in the Second World War, and a council chamber for the Royal Borough of New Windsor until 1974, when the council merged with Maidenhead. The council still takes meetings there today.

In December 1998 the Guildhall was licensed as a place for weddings. Thus the then Prince of Wales married Mrs Camilla Parker Bowles here in 2005 and Sir Elton John entered into a civil partnership with David Furnish later the same year. They married in Windsor in 2014.

The Guildhall houses the Windsor and Royal Borough Museum collection and next door is the Crooked house and a stone drinking fountain.