Burnham, Buckinghamshire

Burnham is a town in south Buckinghamshire, England. It is adjacent to the River Thames, and sits on the border with Berkshire, between the towns of Maidenhead and Slough.

The town name is Anglo Saxon in origin, and means 'homestead on a stream'. It was first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Burneham, when the manor belonged to Walter Fitz-Other.

Burnham was once a very important town. The road from London to Bath (now the A4) passed through the expansive parish of Burnham and as a result, in 1271, the town received a Royal charter to hold a market and an annual fair. However when the bridge crossing the Thames in Maidenhead was opened, the road was diverted away from the town, which fell into decay. The market was then transferred to Maidenhead.

In 1265 a Benedictine abbey was founded in the town by Richard, King of the Romans. This was, however disbanded by King Henry VIII in the dissolution of the monasteries. Little remains of the original abbey.

Today the town is indistinguishable from Slough due to urban spread, though retains some of its elder character.

The parish of Burnham once included the hamletss of Boveney, Cippenham, Britwell and East Burnham, though these are now considered separate villages in their own right. The parish church of Burnham is dedicated to St Peter.