Since the earliest days of the College, sport has been a central part of a boy’s time at Eton.

The annual cricket match against Harrow at Lord’s Cricket Ground is one of the longest-running sporting fixtures in the world, having been played since 1805. A team of Old Etonians won the FA Cup twice. The Eight first rowed in the Henley Regatta in 1861. Today, boys can be part of a school team, can participate in inter-House competitions, or play just for fun.

The range of sports played has always been led by the interests of the boys, with different games coming in and out of fashion over the centuries. Some are played by the whole school, while some are specific to individual Houses, such as bike-shed cricket, played by boys in Cotton Hall. Many of these games have spread beyond Eton, with the version developed here becoming the internationally accepted one. New games are introduced regularly, a recent being pickleball – a cross between badminton, tennis and table-tennis. Each term, boys can choose one major sport as well as many minor ones.

This exhibition looked at the history of sport at Eton and the facilities provided, and the role of Eton and Etonians on the international stage. It was held in the Verey Gallery from April – December 2024.

The catalogue for the exhibition can be viewed and downloaded below.