Nestled under Slough and east of the nearby Windsor, huddled on the banks of the River Thames and flanked by the Queen Mother Reservoir, sits the village of Datchet. Originally part of the Buckinghamshire county, Datchet was transferred to Berkshire in the 1970s. Datchet is an ancient parish with history stretching back thousands of years, and has in the last century flourished owing to its proximity to Windsor and Slough. Nowadays, Datchet is considered a wealthy and affluent village, with an average house price of £600,000, and several multimillion pound properties on the market today!

The first record of Datchet predates the 1086 Domesday Book by nearly 100 years! The first recorded mention of Datchet comes from evidence of the sale and exchange of lands here in 994. When recorded in the Domesday, it was recorded as ‘Daceta’. The origins of the name Datchet are still unknown and obscure today, with no real evidence or clues to suggest how the village acquired its name. It’s believed to be Celtic - which is initially unusual, because there are few Celtic place names in the area - but besides that, historians and researchers still don’t know its meaning! However, stemming from the medieval period, the village’s development entirely depended on the the ferry crossing between Datchet and Windsor, over the River Thames, which was closed in favour of a bridge constructed by Queen Anne in 1706.

Just east of the Windsor Castle, this small village has always benefitted from its close proximity to the royal palace. In fact, this association is so well considered, that Shakespeare’s 16th century play ‘The Merry Wives of Windsor’ references Datchet multiple times!

Owing to this proximity, and proximity to other major urban hubs via the railway link or Heathrow airport - has made Datchet a much desirable location. Growing and developing exponentially from the railway line in the 1850s - much of the property development in the area in recent years has been reserved for converting grand houses into flats, infilling, and developing agricultural land. Recently, development in the area has slowed dramatically - owing to the potential floodrisk posed by the various water sources that flank the village. Part of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, the borough council has recognised the need for affordable housing in the area, and has allocated provisions for the construction of 80 new social housing homes north of London Road!