Winchester College is located in the town of the same name and it is a famous independent boarding school for boys founded in 1382.

Winchester College is the oldest public schools in Great Britain and has been permanently functioning since its opening.

The founder of Winchester College was William of Wykeham who was the Bishop of Winchester from 1367 until his death in 1402. The inspiration for founding such school William of Wykeham got as a result of his own poor childhood. He wanted to help underprivileged boys and educate future churchmen. The architecture of the college was designed by the master mason William Wynford. The bishop bought the land designated for Winchester College in 1382 when it was officially established and welcomed the first 70 poor scholars in 1384.

Winchester College carries the spirit of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. Some of its recognizable features are the impressive wooden ceiling of the 17th century chapel, one of the school’s building designed by Sir Christopher Wren at the end of 17th century and of course the war memorial designed by Sir Herbert Baker. The memorial known as Winchester College War Cloister was built to honor the 750 former pupils of the school who were killed in the two world wars.

Some of renowned alumni of the school are the writers Anthony Trollope and Matthew Arnold, the statesman Hugh Gaitskell and the Second World War field marshal Sir Archibald Wavell.

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