Venues : Eton College

In 1440 King Henry VI founded Eton College in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary. At the same time he founded its sister college, King’s in Cambridge, and gave each a chapel in magnificent Perpendicular style. The founder’s aim was to educate boys to the service of the Church and State. In the Statues of 1443 he laid down that seventy boys be chosen as scholars for his new College. They were to be of good character and be competent at reading, Latin grammar and plain song. The scholars were to be housed, clothed, fed and educated free. Henry VI also made provision for other boys from any part of his realm to come to be taught at Eton, paying their own maintenance. Throughout nearly five and a half centuries the college has never closed, despite wars, civil wars, floods and fires. Today there are still 70 King’s Scholars. In addition today, there are nearly 1200 fee-paying boys who live in 24 houses in the care of housemasters. The boys arrive at Eton at thirteen years of age and remain in the School for five years.

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