The whole of Eton town is a conservation area and there are significant areas of Windsor and Cookham similarly designated. The district includes 148 acres of parks, open spaces and recreational grounds and enjoys extensive riverside frontage with associated amenity areas. On the 1 April 1998 the Royal Borough and the other five Berkshire districts became Unitary Authorities and took over responsibility for the services previously provided by the former Berkshire County Council. The Royal Borough includes two ancient boroughs each with its own tradition and history. Windsor is known throughout the world for its castle, which has been a fortress and Royal residence for over 850 years. Both Windsor and its neighbour, Eton are major tourist attractions. The area of the Royal Borough extends along both banks of the River Thames between Runnymede and Windsor and on the south bank of the Thames from Windsor to Hurley. This area includes Datchet, Horton, Wraysbury, Old Windsor, Windsor Great Park, Sunninghill, Sunningdale, the Ascot Racecourse, the castle and the town of Windsor, Eton with its famous college, Maidenhead, the villages of Bray, Cookham and Hurley, White Waltham and Waltham St. Lawrence.