Eton College

Eton College is probably the most famous school in England. Henry VI opened the school in 1440 for the education of 70 poor boys. It is now a very expensive private school for about 1,300 boys aged 12-18. It costs approximately E40,000 per year.

  A lot of famous people have been to Eton, including the novelists Henry Fielding and George Orwell, 18 British prime ministers, and, in recent years, Prince William and Prince Harry. Two important Old Etonians in British politics today are David Cameron, the leader of the Conservative Party, and Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London. With its combination of excellent teachers and small classes, Eton gives its students a very good education. A personal tutor supervises the progress of every student. When students leave Eton, they usually go to top universities. 30% go to Oxford or Cambridge Universities. The college is also very strong in the area of sports. Students can do 30 different sports, including rugby, cricket, rowing, hockey, basketball, swimming and many others. They play two games which you can only play at Eton: the Eton Wall Game and the Eton Field Game. The school has better facilities than many towns, with a golf course, an indoor swimming pool, a recording studio and a 400-seat theatre. It also has one of the best rowing lakes in the world, Dorney Lake. This will be the site of the rowing events in the 2012 Olympics. Students at Eton College have to follow  a lot of unusual traditions. They wear a strange old-fashioned uniform with a white tie, and they use a special language. Lessons are called 'schools' , teachers are called 'beaks', cricketers are called 'dry bobs' and rowers are called 'wet bobs'. There is a special holiday called ‘the fourth of June’ to celebrate the birthday of King George III, who was a great patron of the school. The holiday isn’t on June 4th, but on the Wednesday before the first weekend in June. All boys have a uniform of black tailcoat (or morning coat) and waistcoat, false-collar and pinstriped trousers. All students wear a white tie. This uniform is not for special occasions, it is worn at all times and if you visit during term time, you will see the boys walking around. The college is in the small town of Eton, next to Windsor which is famous for Windsor Castle. Many tourists visit Windsor Castle and then go on to Eton College. A typical visitors' tour of the college includes the beautiful Chapel and Cloisters, the college Museum and the oldest classroom in the college. How to visit Eton College Short guided tours are available some days of the week and weekends, and regularly during holidays. You can find visiting details on the Eton College website    
Getting there and around Eton College is located near the town of Windsor. Windsor is 20 miles west of London. You can combine your visit to Eton College with a visit to the fascinating and histprical town of Windsor. Windsor is famous for Windsor Royal Castle and beautiful walks along the river Thames.

Places close to Eton College

Airports near here

Attractions near here

  • Brooklands Museum(18.8 km)
    Motoring and aviation exhibits
  • Big Ben- the United Kingdom’s favourite landmark(33.7 km)
    Big Ben, rising majestically over the River Thames at the northern end of the Houses of Parliament, is one of London’s best known landmarks. Originally the name ‘Big Ben’ referred specifically to the largest of the five bells in the clock tower. This is the bell which strikes the hour, while the other four bells strike the quarters. However, the term ‘Big Ben’ is now generally used for the clock itself and the clock tower.
  • St Paul's Cathedral(35.3 km)
    For many people in the UK, St Paul's stands as a testament to all that is British: our history, our independence, our pageantry, our willingness to accept others, and our sense of nationhood. As a structure that survived the very worst ravages of the blitz, while many of the buildings around it were destroyed, St Paul's has an affectionate place in the hearts of many of the UK's citizens, who see it more as a national monument than an ecclesiastical building.
  • Christ Church College(52.9 km)
    Christ Church is one of the largest colleges in the University of Oxford and the Cathedral Church for the Diocese of Oxford. Located on St Aldate's it has a busy academic community of about 450 undergraduates and 150 graduate students.
  • Oxford Castle(53.3 km)

Cities and towns near here

  • Windsor(1.5 km)
    Windsor is a lively town in a glorious riverside location with great shopping, restaurants and Windsor Castle - one of the Queen's official royal residences and the largest and oldest occupied castle in the world.
  • Marlow(14.4 km)
  • Hampton Hill(18.7 km)
  • Camberley(19.3 km)
  • Ealing(21.3 km)
  • Kenton(22.6 km)
    Kenton is a pleasant suburb of London located about 20km north east of the centre of the city.
  • Chesham(23.4 km)
    Chesham is the largest town in the Chiltern district, located amidst the steep green Chiltern Hills. Chesham has much to offer the visitor with its many attractions including Lowndes Park, Church Street in the Old Town with its picturesque cottages, and also the twelfth century St. Mary's Parish Church.
  • Farnborough(24.6 km)
  • New Malden(26.7 km)
  • Guildford(28.7 km)
  • Fleet(28.9 km)
  • Wimbledon(29 km)
  • Farnham(33.5 km)
  • Friern Barnet(34.3 km)
    Friern Barnet is a very pleasant, residential suburb of London, located just 30 minutes to the north of the city. Friern Barnet is a convenient place from which to enjoy and explore London.
  • Godalming(34.3 km)
  • Lewisham(41.3 km)
  • Welwyn Garden City(44.1 km)
  • Alton(45.7 km)
  • Oxford(53 km)
    Oxford is one of Europe’s great cities, famous for its ancient university and outstandingly beautiful with its many towers and spires of golden stone. As a centre of learning and culture, it offers the visitor a huge range of cultural experiences. At the same time, Oxford has always been a thriving modern city with successful industries and great entertainment facilities, including excellent shopping, hundreds of pubs and restaurants, many cinemas and theatres and an exciting night life. This mix of old and new, of scholarly tradition and popular British culture, makes Oxford the ideal location for a homestay.
  • Letchworth(59.7 km)
    Letchworth is a 'new town' conceived and planned by Ebenezer Howard in the 1890's. Howard was appalled at the very unpleasant living and working conditions in the late 19th Century towns and cities and wrote a book outlining his ideas for a completely new way of living. The book, 'Tomorrow, A Peaceful Path to Real Reform', was later republished as 'Garden Cities of Tomorrow' in 1902. Ebenezer Howard believed that the very best of both town and country life should be married together in small Garden Cities, each with its own greenbelt. He promoted well-planned towns with careful land zoning and a quality of life.
  • Sevenoaks(61 km)
  • North Leigh(67.5 km)
  • Winchester(68.5 km)
  • Faringdon(69.7 km)
  • Royal Tunbridge Wells(72.7 km)
  • Deddington(72.9 km)
    Deddington is a small market town with a population of about 2,000. Location in between Oxford and Banbury, Deddington is on the edge of the Cotswolds and is a wonderfully attractive village with traditional stone cottages.
  • Charlbury(73.3 km)
  • Carterton(74 km)
  • Pembury(75.6 km)
  • Banbury(80.5 km)
  • Hook Norton(81.9 km)
    Hook Norton is a picturesque village located in between the town of Banbury and city of Oxford. If you are searching for a taste of the idyllic British countryside and quaint English village we suggest that you come to Hook Norton.
  • Heathfield(84 km)
  • Southampton(85.5 km)
  • Lyndhurst(96.3 km)
    Lyndhurst is the largest village located within the New Forest in the south west of England. Lyndhurst is located just 20km from the bustling city of Southampton.

English links