Skinners Bridge

Skinner’s Bridge is named after two Eton boys, John Skinner and Edward Steuart Skinner who both lost their lives in the Second World War. The bridge was given in their memory by their parents and leads from the College Field to the sports pitch known as Mesopotamia. 1,157 boys died in World War I and 748 in World War II and there were many local residents who also lost their lives. There are monuments inside the College Yard and in the Parish Church yard listing them all. Eton College has produced 36 holders of the Victoria Cross – more than any other institution. Not far away are the sixteen Eton Fives Courts. This is a game played with no referees, encouraging honesty between the four competitors. The game has been described as ‘a game like no other in the world.’ It originated when boys played against a buttress on the side of College Chapel, while waiting for morning service. There are now Eton Fives Courts in India, Australia, Switzerland and Malaysia as the popularity of the sport continues to grow.