Datchet: Local History and the Thames Riverside

You can get to know Datchet during a stay through its local history and the Thames. Historic points of interest include the Church of St Mary, the Datchet War Memorial and the older buildings around The Green. There is a short publicly accessible stretch of riverbank. These topics offer different perspectives on the village: architectural history, remembrance, the village setting and riverside landscape.

Church and architectural history

The Church of St Mary is a Grade II listed building. It was rebuilt and extended in the Gothic Revival style from 1857 to 1864. Gothic Revival refers to a later revival of Gothic architectural forms; in Datchet, the term describes a clearly dated period in the village's architectural history. Inside is a brass plaque commemorating Lady Katherine Berkeley, dated 1559. The church thus brings together a 19th-century rebuilding and a memorial from the 16th century. If you are interested in architecture, these two dates offer a specific way into local history.

Memorials and the village setting

The Datchet War Memorial is also Grade II listed. Sir Lionel Henry Cust created it in 1920 as a memorial to the First World War; additions commemorating the Second World War were made later. It remembers 54 local soldiers who died in the First World War and 30 who fell in the Second World War. In contrast to the church, the focus here is on remembrance and the memorial's later additions, while St Mary brings together architectural history and an older brass plaque.

Older buildings are grouped around The Green. A central oak on The Green commemorates Queen Victoria's jubilee. The present-day village greens were created in the 1840s, after a stream had been culverted. Together, these features offer different historical points of interest: the arrangement of older buildings, the development of the greens and an oak with a commemorative purpose.

By the Thames and along the paths

Datchet's public Thames riverside includes a short stretch with lawns, mature trees and wide views of the Thames. A Parish Council plaque marks the locations of the 18th- and 19th-century bridges. The riverside stretch therefore combines a view of the river with a specific reference to the history of the former bridges.

There are several walking and cycling routes in the Parish of Datchet. A local leaflet maps the public rights of way and provides information about the Countryside Code, parking and connections to other routes. If you would like to use the leaflet to plan your visit, check whether it is available. The map and additional information then provide a shared starting point for exploring the routes and the navigation topics mentioned.

Getting there and choosing a hotel

Datchet has its own railway station and is close to the M4 motorway. These are two different travel options to consider: a railway station in the village and proximity to a motorway. Check which one suits your planned journey, and take your interest in local history or the Thames riverside into account when deciding whether to stay in Datchet.

Discover more destinations: Old Windsor, Sunningdale, Maidenhead, Wraysbury, Windsor, Sunninghill, Hurley, Ascot

For the broader travel overview: Windsor And Maidenhead.