Floreat Etona: Anecdotes and Memories of Eton CollegeNevill, Ralph
History
Floreat Etona: Anecdotes and Memories of Eton College
Nevill, Ralph
Eton College
This ancient constitution remained in force till the year 1869, when a
new governing body was introduced, which drew up new statutes two years
later. The last Fellow representing the old foundation, as instituted
by Henry VI., was the late Bursar, the Rev. W. A. Carter, who died in
1892.
On the completion of the arrangements for the institution of the
College, the old parish church, standing in what is now the graveyard
of the chapel, was pulled down, and a new edifice of “the hard stone of
Kent--the most substantial and the best abiding,” begun. Roger Keyes,
before Warden of All Souls College, Oxford, was appointed master of
the works, receiving a patent of nobility and a grant of arms for his
services. At the same time the newly founded College was assigned a
coat of arms, three white lilies (typical of the Virgin and of the
bright flowers of science) upon a field of sable being combined with
the fleur-de-lys of France and the leopard passant of England, to form
the design with which Etonians have been familiar for more than four
hundred and fifty years.
In 1442 came the first Provost, William of Waynflete, from Winchester,
bringing with him, no doubt, some scholars who formed the nucleus of
the new foundation. So much on the lines of the College on the banks of
the Itchen was Eton founded, though from the first various differences
prevailed--the number of commoners in college (_commensales in
collegio_), for instance, was doubled, it being stipulated that they
must belong to families entitled to bear arms.
The connection between the two schools was close. An alliance, known as
the “Amicabilis Concordia,” pledging Eton and Winchester to a mutual
defence of each other’s rights and privileges, was instituted--a bond
of friendship and amity which has never been broken up to the present
day.
[SN: ORIGINAL DESIGN]
The original design of Henry VI. had contemplated a huge nave for the
chapel, which would have stretched right down what is now known as
Keate’s Lane. This, however, was never completed, William of Waynflete
eventually finishing the building with the present ante-chapel, built
of Headington stone, for which, it should be added, Bath stone was
substituted some thirty-four years ago.
There exists a legend that in the reign of Edward IV. Eton only escaped
suppression owing to the intercession of Jane Shore. Though the story
seems to rest upon no solid historical foundation, it is curious to
note that two portraits of this Royal favourite are preserved in the
Provost’s Lodge.
When Henry VII. escorted Philip of Castile “toward the seaside” on his
return home in 1505, the two kings passed through Windsor--“all the
children of Eaton standing along the barres of the Church yeard.”
Henry VIII. paid a visit to the school in July 1510, and made a
monetary donation, as was customary in his day.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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