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Museum Of Eton Life

Eton College was founded by Henry the Sixth in 1440. Henry the Sixth also founded Kings College Cambridge. He is remembered fondly by both institutions, and ceremonies take place every 21st of May, the anniversary of his murder in the Tower. But the real story, and the real motivations behind Henry's building of Eton and King's College are much less heroic than might be thought. Click on the link to Henry the Sixth for more details.

Even though Eton is known as an expensive public school, the college was originally established to provide free education to seventy scholars. These scholars are still admitted, by competitive examination. All others boys pay fees for their place. Henry's grandiose plans for Eton were never fully realised, as work was still incomplete when he was deposed by Edward the Fourth in 1461. The confusion that followed the deposition wasn't conducive to idealistic building projects. It was left to a former provost of Eton, Bishop Wayneflete to finish a scaled down chapel in the 1470s. This is the chapel that stands at Eton today. Building continued over the centuries, and School Yard as it appears today was completed by 1694.

Public schools as they are known today are the result of a hierarchical system which was the life's work of the Reverend Nathaniel Woodward (1811 - 1891). The Industrial Revolution of the nineteenth century was driven by a desire for social betterment, which fed into buying goods and services which helped people ape the appearances of those further up the social ladder. Woodward devised a system, later to be used by U.S. car manufacturers, where customers could slowly upgrade as they made their way to higher incomes. Three grades of school were established, the first for educating boys to 18, the second to 16, the third to 14. This system no longer exists in its original form, but the idea of an education at Eton, Harrow, Charterhouse, Rugby, Stowe or Shrewsbury being the result of, and conferring, social status, is an echo of Woodward's system.

Through its history Eton has educated many famous men. A brief list would include nineteen Prime Ministers, from Walpole, usually credited as the first prime Minister, to Macmillan and Douglas Home. Writers who went to Eton include Percy Bysshe Shelley, Thomas Gray, Henry Fielding, Aldous Huxley, and George Orwell. Scientists include Robert Boyle, Sir John Heyschell and Sir Joseph Banks. In the military and church hundreds of senior positions have been filled by Old Etonians. Boys from overseas have also been taught at Eton, and two signatories of the American Declaration of Independence, Thomas Lynch and Thomas Nelson were Old Etonians.

There is a museum at Eton which tells the long story of the school, and there are tours which take in some areas of the buildings.

Opening Times: The Museum of Eton Life is open April to October, 10.30am - 4.30pm during school holidays, 2.30pm - 4.30pm during term time.

Directions: Eton College is in Windsor, Berkshire. There is no access for cars over the Thames from Windsor to Eton. Visitors should walk over Windsor Bridge and up Eton High Street. This is a half mile walk. Visitors arriving by train at either of Windsor's stations, can walk to Eton in 10 - 20 minutes. Click here for an interactive road and satellite map centred on Eton College.

Access: adapted toilet facilities are available, but no specific provision for the disabled on tours seems to be made.

Contact:

phone: 01753 671177

web site: http://www.etoncollege.com/eton.asp?di=1410