The Newcastle Scholarship

Eton Classics

As a contextual appendix to our recent collection of old Classics exam papers, we publish below a historical survey of the most famous school examination of them all – Eton College’s Newcastle Scholarship. Founded in 1829, it was for 150 years an exceptionally tackling test of Greek and Latin language and literature, ancient history, and Biblical theology. (The exam still survives, but was divided into two distinct competitions in 1976.) Anyone who wishes to dive deeper into this contest, and the mixed fortune of its competitors, is welcome to read and share the PDF below (a document previously only circulated privately) as desired…