View source for Eton, Berkshire

{{short description|Town in Berkshire, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox UK place
| country = England
| official_name = Eton
| civil_parish = Eton<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://etontowncouncil2blog.wordpress.com/ |title = Eton Town Council}}</ref>
| static_image_name = {{multiple image
| border                   = infobox
| total_width              = 250
| image_style              = border:1;
| perrow                   = 1/2/2
| image1                   = High Street in Eton - geograph.org.uk - 7446873.jpg
| caption1                     = Eton High Street
| image2                   = St Mary's Chapel in Eton College - geograph.org.uk - 7446888.jpg
| caption2                     = [[Eton College Chapel]]
| image3                   = Garden and Eton College - geograph.org.uk - 1472772.jpg
| caption3                     = Provost's Garden
| image4                   = Windsor Bridge - geograph.org.uk - 1920639.jpg
| caption4                     = [[Windsor Bridge]]
| image5                   = Eton - High Street. Stare zabydoawnia - panoramio.jpg
| caption5                     = [[Eton College]] School Library
}}
| population = 4,692
| population_ref = ([[2011 United Kingdom census|2011 Census]])<ref name=ONS>{{cite web|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11123262&c=Eton&d=16&e=62&g=6398436&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1480443985679&enc=1|title=Civil Parish population 2011|access-date=29 November 2016|publisher=Office for National Statistics|work=Neighbourhood Statistics|archive-date=30 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161130044211/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11123262&c=Eton&d=16&e=62&g=6398436&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1480443985679&enc=1|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| coordinates = {{coord|51.4881|-0.6092|display=inline,title}}
| unitary_england = [[Windsor and Maidenhead]]
| lieutenancy_england = [[Berkshire]]
| region = South East England
| constituency_westminster = [[Windsor (UK Parliament constituency)|Windsor]]
| post_town = WINDSOR
| postcode_district = SL4
| postcode_area = SL
| dial_code = 01753
| os_grid_reference = SU965775
}}

'''Eton''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|iː|t|ən}} {{respell|EE|tən}}) is a town in [[Berkshire]], England, on the opposite bank of the [[River Thames]] to [[Windsor, Berkshire|Windsor]], connected to it by [[Windsor Bridge]]. The [[civil parish]], which also includes the village of [[Eton Wick]] two miles west of the town, had a population of 4,692 at the [[2011 United Kingdom census|2011 census]].<ref name=ONS>{{cite web|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11123262&c=Eton&d=16&e=62&g=6398436&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1480443985679&enc=1|title=Civil Parish population 2011|access-date=29 November 2016|publisher=Office for National Statistics|work=Neighbourhood Statistics|archive-date=30 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161130044211/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11123262&c=Eton&d=16&e=62&g=6398436&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1480443985679&enc=1|url-status=dead}}</ref> Within the boundaries of the [[Historic counties of England|historic county]] of [[Buckinghamshire]], in 1974 it came under the administration of Berkshire following the [[Local Government Act 1972]];<ref>{{Cite legislation UK |type=act |year=1972 |chapter=70 |schedule=1 |act=Local Government Act 1972 |date=26 October 1972 |accessdate=27 December 2021 }}</ref> since 1998 it has been part of the [[unitary authority]] of [[Windsor and Maidenhead]]. The town is best known as the location of [[Eton College]].

Eton is on the [[Thames Path]] between [[Maidenhead]] and [[Windsor, Berkshire|Windsor]]. 

Eton is also home to [[Swan Lifeline]], the oldest registered swan rescue and treatment charity devoted entirely to the care of sick and injured swans in the Thames Valley and surrounding areas, on the Cuckoo Weir Island, and was patronised by [[George Michael]] and [[Michael Parkinson]].{{Not verified in body|date=June 2025}}

==History==
[[File:Windsor from Eton by Augustus Wall Callcott.jpg|thumb|''[[Windsor from Eton]]'' by [[Augustus Wall Callcott]]. A view towards [[Windsor Castle]] from Eton, 1809]]
[[File:Eton Thames.jpg|thumb|View of Eton looking across the [[River Thames]] from [[Windsor, Berkshire|Windsor]]]]
The name derives from [[Old English]] ''Ēa-tūn'', meaning "River-Town", a reference to Eton's proximity to the [[River Thames]]. The land that is now Eton once belonged to the [[manor house|manor]] of [[Edith of Wessex|Queen Edith]],<ref name="OD">{{cite web |last1=Powell-Smith |first1=Anna |title=Eton |url=https://opendomesday.org/place/SU9677/eton/ |website=Open Domesday |publisher=Anna Powell-Smith |access-date=2 October 2020}}</ref> wife of [[Edward the Confessor]]. The land was appropriated by the [[Normans]] after 1066; and by 1086, the lord was [[Walter FitzOther|Walter son of Other]].<ref name="OD"/> The main road between [[Windsor, Berkshire|Windsor]] and London went through the area and a hamlet sprang up amid pasture meadows to maintain the road and the bridge. In 1440, [[Henry VI of England|Henry VI]] chose Eton as the location for his new college, [[Eton College]]. Workmen were moved into Eton to build the college. All of the land immediately around the hamlet was granted to the college, which stopped further growth. The new college chapel made the village a pilgrimage point, and [[pubs|inns]] were set up along the High Street. Henry VI gave the college the right to hold [[fairs]] on its grounds.<ref name="BHOL" /> 

During the [[English Civil War]], after [[Windsor Castle]] was captured by [[Roundheads|Parliamentarian]] forces, the [[Cavalier|Royalist]] army moved into Eton and attempted to retake the town, occupying the college. Efforts to retake Windsor were unsuccessful and the royalists eventually fled.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.etoncollege.com/LifeInTheEarlyDays.aspx|title=Eton College – Life In The Early Days}}</ref> In 1812, Porny's charity school was founded by the estate of the late Antoine Pyron du Martré, otherwise Mark Anthony Porny, French master at [[Eton College]].<ref name="BHOL">{{cite web |title=Parishes: Eton |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/bucks/vol3/pp261-275 |website=British History Online |publisher=University of London |access-date=21 September 2020}}</ref> Later named Eton Porny,<ref>{{cite web |title=About us |url=https://www.etonporny.org.uk/about |website=etonporny.org.uk |publisher=Eton Porny CofE First School |access-date=21 September 2020}}</ref> it became the school for local children at 29 High Street. In 1863, moving to the school's current site at 14 High Street Eton.<ref>{{cite web |title=Porny School |url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1031548 |website=historicengland.org.uk |publisher=Historic England |access-date=21 September 2020}}</ref> The population was 3,526 by 1841.<ref>''The National Cyclopaedia of Useful Knowledge, Vol.III'', (1847), London, Charles Knight, p.898</ref> The college sometimes leased small plots of land to the village as an act of charity, leading to the construction of houses near the bridge. [[King's Scholar|Scholars at the college]] also used to collect "salt" (money) from the [[pubs|inns]] of Eton High Street.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://met.open.ac.uk/genuki/big/eng/BKM/Eton/|title=Eton (including Eton Wick)|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304192926/http://met.open.ac.uk/genuki/big/eng/BKM/Eton/|archive-date=2016-03-04}}</ref> 

This practice continued until 1845 when a scholar refused to associate with the [[pubs|inns]] because they were a "temptation" to Eton students.<ref name="BHOL"/> Eton was favourably modernised and was the first village in the UK to have its own post office and modern drainage system.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.information-britain.co.uk/history/town/Eton38/|title=The history of Eton, Berkshire}}</ref> By 1925 the town was described as more commercial than residential, with most of the buildings (apart from those of the school itself) belonging to businesses serving the schoolboys.<ref name="BHOL"/> In April 1970, [[Windsor Bridge]], connecting Eton to [[Windsor, Berkshire|Windsor]], was closed to all motorised traffic. All traffic must now travel via Royal Windsor Way (formerly the Windsor and Eton relief road),<ref>{{cite news |title=Windsor and Eton relief road is given royal name |work=BBC News |date=26 June 2012 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-18601507 |access-date=21 September 2020}}</ref> a bypass opened in 1966.

==Notable people==
In birth order:
*[[William Oughtred]] (1574–1660), mathematician and cleric
*[[Edmund Bristow]] (1787–1876), artist, was born in Eton and lived his whole life in the [[Windsor, Berkshire|Windsor]] area
*[[Charles Duke Yonge]] (1812–1891), an English historian, classicist and cricketer<ref>{{cite web |title=Biographies |url=http://www.yongefamily.info/184806878 |website=www.yongefamily.info |access-date=3 April 2022}}</ref>{{Better source needed|date=April 2022|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable ([[WP:NOTRS]]).}}
*[[George E. Davis]] (1850–1906), founding father of [[chemical engineering]]

==Governance==
There are two tiers of local government covering Eton, at parish (town) and unitary authority level: Eton Town Council and [[Windsor and Maidenhead Borough Council]].

At the parish level, the town is represented by seven councillors in the Eton Town Council, a body which also includes seven councillors representing [[Eton Wick]]. At the district level, the town is part of the [[Eton and Castle]] electoral ward of the [[Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead]].

Nationally, since 1997 the ward has formed part of the [[UK Parliament]]ary constituency of [[Windsor (UK Parliament constituency)|Windsor]] and is currently represented by [[Jack Rankin]] of the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]]. 

Between 1983 and 1997, the town was part of the UK Parliamentary constituency of [[Windsor and Maidenhead (UK Parliament constituency)|Windsor and Maidenhead]], which was held by the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] throughout that period. Before 1983, the town was within the boundaries of the [[UK Parliament]]ary constituency of [[Eton and Slough]]. This was held by the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] from its creation in 1945 to its [[Redistribution (election)|redistribution]] in 1983, except between 1964 and 1966 when it was held by a Conservative.

[[File:Eton Town Council offices - geograph.org.uk - 3474786.jpg|thumb|[[Eton Town Council Offices]], 102 High Street]]
===Administrative history===
{{mainarticle|Eton Urban District}}
Eton was governed by a [[local board]] from 1849 to 1894, and by an [[urban district council]] from 1894 to 1974.<ref name=vision>{{cite web |title=Eton Urban District |url=https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10081520 |website=A Vision of Britain through Time |publisher=GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth |access-date=23 May 2022}}</ref> Eton Urban District Council was abolished under the [[Local Government Act 1972]], with the area being transferred from Buckinghamshire to Berkshire on 1 April 1974 to become part of the new district of Windsor and Maidenhead.<ref>{{cite book |title=The English Non-Metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972 (S.I. 1972 No. 2039) |date=1972 |publisher=Her Majesty's Stationery Office |location=London |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1972/2039/made |access-date=24 May 2022}}</ref> A [[successor parish]] was created to cover the former Eton Urban District, which had covered both the town itself and Eton Wick. The parish council adopted the name Eton Town Council.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Local Government (Successor Parishes) Order 1973 (S.I. 1973 No. 1110) |date=1973 |publisher=Her Majesty's Stationery Office |location=London |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1973/1110/made |access-date=24 May 2022}}</ref> It is based at [[Eton Town Council Offices|102 High Street]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.etontowncouncil.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/80/2024/01/Town-Council-Agenda-11th-January-2024.pdf  |title=Town Council Agenda|date=11 January 1974|publisher=Eton Town Council| access-date=1 April 2024}}</ref>

==Transport==
===Bus===
Eton is served by two bus companies. [[Thames Valley Buses]] operates Monday to Saturday buses on the [[Slough]] – Eton – [[Eton Wick]] – [[Taplow]] – [[Maidenhead]] route (bus 15). Redline Buses operates the [[Slough]] – Eton – [[Eton Wick]] – [[Dorney]] – [[Maidenhead]] route on Tuesdays and Fridays (bus 63/68).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.redlinebuses.com/services.html|title=Untitled Document|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415220800/http://redlinebuses.com/services.html|archive-date=2012-04-15}}</ref>

===Rail===
Windsor has two terminal stations. {{convert|80|m|spell=In}} southeast of [[Windsor Bridge]], the town's historic pedestrian and cycle bridge, is [[Windsor & Eton Riverside]], with [[South Western Railway]] trains to [[London Waterloo]]. [[Windsor & Eton Central]] is {{cvt|200|m}} to the south-west, but uphill, with [[Great Western Railway (train operating company)|Great Western Railway]] services to [[Slough railway station|Slough]] for connecting services to stations such as [[London Paddington]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalrail.co.uk|title=National Rail Enquiries – Official source for UK train times and timetables}}</ref>

==Education==
{{expand section|date=January 2025}}
Schools in the village include:
* Eton Porny CofE First School<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.etonporny.org.uk/|title=Home|publisher=Eton Porny CofE First School|access-date=2025-01-26|quote=14 High Street Eton Windsor SL4 6AS}}</ref> - Eton is in this school's catchment area<ref>{{cite web|url=https://5f2fe3253cd1dfa0d089-bf8b2cdb6a1dc2999fecbc372702016c.ssl.cf3.rackcdn.com/uploads/ckeditor/attachments/16844/Eton_Porny_C_of_E_First_School_Admissions_A3_Landscape.pdf|title=Current Designated Area For Eton Porny CofE First School|publisher=[[Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead]]|access-date=2025-01-26}} - [https://rbwm.afcinfo.org.uk/pages/community-information/information-and-advice/schools-and-education/school-admissions/school-designated-areas From this page]</ref>
* [[Eton College]]

Schools for which Eton is in the designated area for:
* Dedworth Middle School in [[Windsor, Berkshire|Windsor]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://5f2fe3253cd1dfa0d089-bf8b2cdb6a1dc2999fecbc372702016c.ssl.cf3.rackcdn.com/uploads/ckeditor/attachments/16881/Dedworth_Admissions.pdf|title=Current Designated Area For Dedworth Middle School|publisher=[[Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead]]|access-date=2025-01-26}} - [https://rbwm.afcinfo.org.uk/pages/community-information/information-and-advice/schools-and-education/school-admissions/school-designated-areas From this page]</ref>
* St. Edward's Royal Free Ecumenical Middle School in Windsor<ref>{{cite web|url=https://5f2fe3253cd1dfa0d089-bf8b2cdb6a1dc2999fecbc372702016c.ssl.cf3.rackcdn.com/uploads/ckeditor/attachments/16886/St._Edward_s_Royal_Free_Ecumenical_Middle_School_Admissions.pdf|title=Current Designated Area For St. Edward's Royal Free Ecumenical Middle School|publisher=[[Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead]]|access-date=2025-01-26}} - [https://rbwm.afcinfo.org.uk/pages/community-information/information-and-advice/schools-and-education/school-admissions/school-designated-areas From this page]</ref>
* Trevelyan Middle School in Windsor<ref>{{cite web|url=https://5f2fe3253cd1dfa0d089-bf8b2cdb6a1dc2999fecbc372702016c.ssl.cf3.rackcdn.com/uploads/ckeditor/attachments/16889/Trevelyan_Middle_School_Admissions.pdf|title=Current Designated Area For Trevelyan Middle School|publisher=[[Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead]]|access-date=2025-01-26}} - [https://rbwm.afcinfo.org.uk/pages/community-information/information-and-advice/schools-and-education/school-admissions/school-designated-areas From this page]</ref>
* [[The Windsor Boys School]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://5f2fe3253cd1dfa0d089-bf8b2cdb6a1dc2999fecbc372702016c.ssl.cf3.rackcdn.com/uploads/ckeditor/attachments/16888/TWBS_Admissions.pdf|title=Current Designated Area For The Windsor Boys School|publisher=[[Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead]]|access-date=2025-01-26}} - [https://rbwm.afcinfo.org.uk/pages/community-information/information-and-advice/schools-and-education/school-admissions/school-designated-areas From this page]</ref>
* [[The Windsor Girls School]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://5f2fe3253cd1dfa0d089-bf8b2cdb6a1dc2999fecbc372702016c.ssl.cf3.rackcdn.com/uploads/ckeditor/attachments/16890/Windsor_Girls_Admissions.pdf|title=Current Designated Area For The Windsor Girls School|publisher=[[Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead]]|access-date=2025-01-26}} - [https://rbwm.afcinfo.org.uk/pages/community-information/information-and-advice/schools-and-education/school-admissions/school-designated-areas From this page]</ref>

==Nearest towns==
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
*[[Windsor, Berkshire|Windsor]] {{cvt|0.5|mile|1}} (via [[Windsor Bridge]])
*[[Slough]] {{cvt|2|mile|0}}
*[[Staines-upon-Thames]] {{cvt|7|mile}}
*[[Maidenhead]] {{cvt|7|mile}}
*[[Reading, Berkshire|Reading]] {{cvt|21|mile}}
*London {{cvt|21|mile}}
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikivoyage|Windsor and Eton}}
{{Commons category-inline}}
* [http://www.etontowncouncil.org.uk/ Eton Town Council]

{{Berkshire}}
{{Windsor and Maidenhead}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Eton, Berkshire| ]]
[[Category:Civil parishes in Berkshire]]
[[Category:Populated places on the River Thames]]
[[Category:Towns in Berkshire]]
[[Category:Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead]]