Winchester College
Winchester College is a public school situated in the city of Winchester in Hampshire, in the south of England. In fact it is the original public school, with others, such as Eton College, being modelled on it. Their website states that the school has "the longest unbroken history of any school in England"[1].
It was founded in 1382 by William of Wykeham, the Bishop of Winchester and High Chancellor of England, who also founded New College, Oxford. Its original purpose was to educate "seventy poor and needy scholars". Since the scholars now only get 50% off their school fees, they probably aren't as "poor and needy" as their predecessors.
The school also took a few paying students, known as "Commoners". Originally there were only about 10, rising steadily until the early 19th century, when their numbers were approximately equal to those of the Scholars. In the late 1850s and throughout the 1860s, the numbers expanded dramatically as nine new boarding houses were built. One more boarding house was built in 1905, bringing the total to the current 11 (including "College", the Scholars' house), and the total number of pupils to almost 700. A twelfth boarding house is currently in the planning stage.
As of May 2003, the current headmaster is Mr. T. R. ("Tommy") Cookson, who succeeded Dr. Nicholas Tate when he resigned in 2003[2].
Winchester Slang
The slang used at Winchester College are known as 'notions'. The use of notions has declined somewhat over the years but are still in use. Examples include 'aeg', 'No. Bo.', 'toyes', 'gallery' and 'mugging hall'. Until recently, all students underwent a 'notions test' administered by the prefects. A dictionary of notions has been published- Winchester Notions: The English Dialect of Winchester College [ISBN 0485115255].
Former pupils
Famous former pupils include:
- Henry Chichele, Archbishop of Canterbury
- Thomas Beckington, statesman
- Richard Pace, diplomat
- William Grocyn, scholar
- William Warham, Archbishop of Canterbury
- Roger Ascham, scholar and writer
- Henry Wotton, author and diplomat
- John Davies, poet
- Thomas James, librarian
- Edward Nicholas, statesman
- Thomas Otway, dramatist
- William Somervile, poet
- Edward Young, poet
- Robert Lowth, Bishop of London
- Edward Wortley Montagu, author
- William Collins, poet
- Joseph Warton, literary critic and academic
- Thomas Warton, Poet Laureate
- Thomas Burgess, author
- William Lisle Bowles, poet
- Richard Mant, writer
- William Page Wood, 1st Baron Hatherley, Lord Chancellor
- Christopher Wordsworth, Bishop of Lincoln
- Robert Lowe, 1st Viscount Sherbrooke, statesman
- George Bruce Malleson, author
- Samuel Rawson Gardiner, historian
- William Sealey Gosset, chemist
- Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell, general
- George Mallory, climber of Everest
- Arnold J. Toynbee
- Sir Oswald Mosley, fascist leader
- Dr Robert Conquest, historian specialising in Stalin's purges
- Geoffrey Howe, Lord Howe of Aberavon, politician
- George Younger, 4th Viscount Younger of Leckie, Tory MP
- Tim Brooke-Taylor, comedian
- Joss Whedon, television scriptwriter
External link
Referenced By
1868 Public Schools Act | Archibald Wavell | Arnold J. Toynbee | Association Football | Association Football Club | Baron Howe of Aberavon | Christopher Wordsworth | College | College of education | Colleges | Edward Nicholas | Edward Wortley Montagu | Edward Young | English public school | English public school slang | Football | Football (soccer) | Football games | Footie | Games called football | Geoffrey Howe | George Bruce Malleson | George Kenneth Hotson Younger, 4th Viscount Younger of Leckie | George Mallory | George Younger | George Younger, 4th Viscount Younger of Leckie | Henry Chichele | Henry Chicheley | Henry Wotton | John Davies (poet) | Joseph Warton | Joss Whedon | List of English public school Slang | List of schools in the United Kingdom | Lord Howe of Aberavon | M3 motorway | Oswald Mosley | Portsmouth | Portsmouth, England | Portsmouth UA | Public School | Public school (UK) | Public school slang | Richard Mant | Richard Pace | Robert Conquest | Robert Lowe | Robert Lowe, 1st Viscount Sherbrooke | Robert Lowe, Viscount Sherbrooke | Robert Lowth | Roger Ascham | Samuel Rawson Gardiner | Schools in the United Kingdom | SocceR | Teacher-training college | Thomas Beckington | Thomas Burgess | Thomas James | Thomas Ken | Thomas Otway | Thomas Warton | Tim Brooke-Taylor | To Autumn | Wickham | William Collins (poet) | William Grocyn | William Lisle Bowles | William Page Wood, 1st Baron Hatherley | William Page Wood, 1st Lord Hatherley | William Sealey Gosset | William Somervile | William Somerville | William Warham | William of Wykeham | Winchester | Winchester, England | Winchester (disambiguation)
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