shows the apparent gaps at the top of four inside columns. A deed of 1369, now in the possession of
Eton College, refers to the "gildaule", and a charter of 1439 states that "pleas happening in the said borough... shall be pleaded and holden in the guildhall there, before the mayor and bailiffs for the time being". A set of statutes and ordinances for the Guildhall were published in 1579–80 and confirmed by the Berkshire justices in 1592.
Norden's map of 1607 shows a market house in the location of the present guildhall: the main part of it is raised on wooden pillars to allow the space beneath to be used as a covered corn market. The erection of the present guildhall was begun in 1687, under the direction of Sir Thomas Fitz (Fitch or Fiddes) but the story is that on his death in 1689, the task was taken over and completed by
Sir Christopher Wren. The cost of construction was £2687/1s/6d. The new building was supported by stone columns, like its predecessor. This allowed for corn markets to be held in the covered area. However, there is little evidence that Wren was ever involved with the design or construction of the Guildhall. It is now believed that the story grew out of Wren's connections with Windsor along with the actions of his son, also called
Christopher Wren. The younger Wren served as a
Member of Parliament for Windsor and commissioned the statue of
Prince George of Denmark in 1713 on the south end of the building with his name was engraved underneath. The pillars were probably moved into the corn market from the east side when the extension was added in 1829. The 1829 extension was a two-storey building at the back of the existing hall, designed by James Bedborough. Major restorations of the building were undertaken in 1851, and, following its use as a food office during the
Second World War, again in 1950–1951. and, on 21 December 2005, it hosted one of the first same sex civil partnership ceremonies to be held in
England, that of
Sir Elton John and
David Furnish. On 12 March 2011, the new
Windsor and Royal Borough Museum was officially opened in the Guildhall by
Queen Elizabeth II. ==See also==