[3] The Great West Road to Reading, Gloucester and Bristol was diverted over the new bridge – previously it kept to the north bank crossed the Thames by ford at Cookham – and mediaeval Maidenhead grew up around it.

The event is recorded in the Patent Rolls of Edward I as a... "grant at the instance of Will, de Berford in aid of the bridge of Maidenhead which is almost broken down, of pontage (tolls) for three years, to be taken at the hands of two good and lawful men appointed by him."

[3][5] Only a century later the bridge had again fallen into disrepair and during the reign of Henry VI was so unsafe that most travellers preferred to cross using the ferry.

[5] The corporation was specifically not permitted to rebuild the chapel but were allowed to levy toll and hold a weekly market and two annual fairs.

The charter was renewed by James I who added a Whit Wednesday fair and the right to take three oaks per year from the Royal Forest of Bray.

Edward Montagu, 2nd Earl of Manchester, a commander of Parliamentary forces reported on 25 September 1644 that his army was "constrained to wait at Uxbridge as Maidenhead Bridge is broken".

[3] Although James' restoration of benefits included the annual quota of oaks, in 1714 the corporation complained to the Lord Treasurer about the poor quality of the trees.

3. c. 41) and Taylor's design was built by John Townsend of Oxford (builder of Swinford Bridge) at a total cost of £19,000[3] (equivalent to £3.1 million today[6]).

[3] In 1966 Nikolaus Pevsner recorded it in his Buildings of Berkshire as "a beautiful piece of 1772–7.... seven main water-arches with rock rustication on the voussoirs... fine balustrade".

The Great Western defended the claim on the dubious grounds it had built its London terminus at Paddington, not Euston as originally authorised by its act of incorporation containing the provisions for compensation but they paid in full before trial whilst avoiding the payment of interest and costs on a technicality.