Eton College Eton College Eton College () is an English independent boarding school for boys in Eton, Berkshire, near Windsor. It educates more than 1,300 pupils, aged 13 to 18 years. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as 'The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor', making it the 18th-oldest Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference (HMC) school. Eton is one of the original nine public schools as defined by the Public Schools Act 1868. The others were Harrow, Charterhouse, Rugby, Shrewsbury, Westminster, Winchester, Merchant Taylors' and St Paul's. Following the public school tradition, Eton is a full boarding
Eton College the Royal Works. The last important addition to the central college buildings was the College Library, in the south range of the cloister, 1725–29, by Thomas Rowland. It has a very important collection of books and manuscripts. In the 19th century, the architect John Shaw Jr (1803–1870) became surveyor to Eton. He designed New Buildings (1844–46), Provost Francis Hodgson's addition to provide better accommodation for Collegers, who until then had mostly lived in Long Chamber, a long first floor room where conditions were inhumane. Following complaints about the finances, buildings and management of Eton, the Clarendon Commission was set up