A local guide to Burnham
It lies on the border of Berkshire and has plenty to offer those looking for properties in a village-type setting that are easy to commute to.
The village has an illustrious history, with its existence first being made note of in the Domesday Book of 1086.
The road running from Bath to London (known today as the Bath Road or A4) used to run through the village and led to Burnham receiving a Royal Charter, giving Burnham the authority to hold a market and annual fair in 1271.
However, when the bridge across the Thames to Maidenhead was built in 1280, the Bath Road was diverted away from Burnham leading to it losing its privileges and little of its allure.
A Benedictine Abbey was founded in the area in 1266, which was later disbanded by Henry VIII in the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
Despite falling into ruin, the abbey was later restored and remains standing to this day.
The main focal point of Burnham is its bustling High Street, which gives away a few clues to its heritage with some of the buildings there dating back to the 16th and 17th century.
Today the High Street is home to a number of independent retailers, as well as a small supermarket.
It’s also here that you’ll find a very high concentration of good old traditional pubs and fine restaurants, including three Indian eateries and a wine bar.
Burnham Park Hall is worthy of note, not only because its home to Burnham Parish Council, but because of the wide array of community activities that take place there. These include, keep fit sessions, wine tasting classes and mother and baby groups.
Burnham contains a number of schools, including the acclaimed Burnham Grammar School, as well as three day nurseries, with further education opportunities available at the nearby East Berkshire College and Thames Valley University.
Adult learning opportunities are also available at Burnham Library, Burnham Park Hall and Burnham Resource Centre.
This area is well served by transport links. The M4 is close by and trains stop regularly at Burnham Railway Station on the way to Reading and London Paddington.
Open spaces are plentiful in Burnham with local landmark, Burnham Beeches, attracting visitors from way beyond the locality. It was also used as part of the setting for the 1969 film Carry on Camping.
Properties in the area are popular, especially considering its prime location, but with much of the surrounding area designated Green Belt land, major residential development in the area is unlikely. Meaning Burnham’s 12,000 residents are likely to retain their village way of life for quite some time yet.