Fascinating Fun Facts about Eton College

World-famous Eton College, located near Windsor in Berkshire, is Britain’s largest public school. It has welcomed Prince William and Harry through its doors as well as many other famous students. Let’s learn some fun facts about Eton College.

*Eton College was founded by King Henry VI in 1440. This currently makes the college 580 years old! Just imagine how many lessons have happened here over the years and the number of alumni that have attended. In fact, Eton College has such a stunning reputation, that one third of its alumni enter Oxford and Cambridge University after graduating.

*The first Headmaster of Eton College was William Waynflete, who coincidentally was the founder of Magdalen College in Oxford. The requirements for the first students of Eton are particularly interesting. Students had to have a good personality, be able to read well, know Latin grammar and plainsong. Only boys were allowed to attend too. Students were not allowed to keep any badgers, bears or monkeys as pets in the past too.

*If you were one of the first students to attend Eton, you may have gone hungry. For the first century of Eton’s existence, no meals were provided. Students had to buy and prepare their own food. In 1820 there were some improvements. It was declared that chicken and greens would be on the menu twice a year.

*At Eton College up until the mid-19th century, you only had the choice of learning two subjects: Greek and Latin. If you wanted to learn French or Natural Sciences, parents had to pay extra.

*There are 24 boarding houses, more than 100 classrooms, 2 theatres, a gym, concert hall, 2 indoor swimming pools, 3 laboratories and music schools too! The college loves music somuch that there are 8 organs here amongst all the wonderful instruments. Some of the students are also part of the National Youth Orchestra.

*There are many famous students who have graduated from Eton College. In fact, 20 British Prime Ministers have come from Eton College, alongside generations of aristocracy. Eton College has even been referred to as “ the chief nurse of England’s statesmen” by the BBC.

*Sport plays a big role in the fabric of Eton’s history. There are games which have been created and founded on these grounds including the Eton Wall Game and Eton Fives.

Alumni (pl. of alumnus ) - /ə ˈ lʌ mˌ nɑ ɪ /= men and women who have completed their studies, esp. at a college or university: бывшие выпускники e. g. a reunion of Yale alumni of the class of 1990. Headmaster/Provost - (in some universities) the person in charge of a particular college = ректор plainsong / plainchant a type of simple group singing without instruments (in the Christian Church