If you’re planning a summer day trip to Windsor Castle, you must add visiting Eton and Eton College to your list. This student town is just across the Thames from the castle, making it the perfect stop on your itinerary.
After seeing all the gorgeousness of the castle, the walk over to Eton College is about a 22 minute walk (1.1 miles). Even though your legs will have had a workout exploring the castle, it’s worth the extra effort to see the college.
From Windsor Castle to Eton College
Visiting Eton College was one of my UK travel bucket list destinations.
I had toured the inside of Eton College, the world-famous boy’s school, during the summer of 2008. My first stop was Windsor Castle and then I headed to the college, right afterwards.
As I crossed the Thames River, I stopped to grab a photo. At that time in 2008 there was a Ferris wheel at Alexandra Park. It’s no longer there. The bridge from where I took the photo is a foot bridge. No motorized vehicles are permitted. And so, you can stop, take a break and check out the view.
When you arrive at Eton College you get to see a few key places including the Eton College Chapel, the courtyard, the Upper Hall, College Hall and Museum of Eton Life.
The college was built in the 15th century and founded by King Henry VI. It includes some older medieval architecture as well as renaissance and more recent buildings. Some locations have been used for film shoots and are easily recognizable.
Eton College Graffiti: Boys Being Boys
Eton College has a long history of educating England’s teenage boys including many of the royal family, famous actors (recent ones include Tom Hiddleston, Eddie Redmayne and Dominic West) and writers. Famous students include fashion and style-setter Beau Brummell, novelist Henry Fielding, and poet Percy Bysshe Shelley among others.
Many of these are notorious for their antics and abilities to get themselves into society pages. Boys will be boys!
What was so cool about my visit was the graffiti at Eton College. The urge to deface property is not a new thing for today’s teenagers. As you can see, even in the “good old days”, boys got up to no good by carving in their names and other figures. This is much like today’s youth who think it’s cool to tag with spray paint in an attempt at street art.
Most of the graffiti is found by the courtyard, which in contrast to these walls is pristine.
Photos taken July 2008.
| Related: A Day Trip To Windsor Castle – Stepping Back Into Britain’s History
Details For Visiting Eton College
The guided tour lasts about 90 minutes. It’s best to go to the site to get details on how to schedule the tour. Things have changed since I last was there and had easier admittance during the summer period.
Details: Open to the public early May to early September; check the college’s website for details.
QUESTION: Are you planning on visiting Eton College? Have you ever seen the graffiti at Eton College and noticed any famous names?
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