Newcastle Scholarship

The Newcastle Scholarship is an annual prize awarded at Eton College for the highest performance in a series of special written examinations taken over the course of a week. It is Eton's most prestigious prize and was for over a century (until it changed form in 1976) considered the premier school prize examination in England for pupils of the Classics (Greek and Latin language and literature) and Divinity (the Bible scriptures). It was instituted and first awarded in 1829, thanks to the initiative and benefaction of Henry Pelham-Clinton, 4th Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyme. The Statutes, recorded in 1841, state:

'The design and object of these Scholarships is to promote and encourage a Religious education and sound and useful Learning in general among the Scholars of Eton School, including particularly accurate Scholarship in Greek and Roman literature but most especially and principally to inculcate a thorough knowledge of the Evidence, Doctrines and Precepts of the Christian Religion.'

The winner of the Newcastle Scholarship was awarded a cash prize of £250, a considerable sum in 1829, while the runner-up received a Gold Medal. Originally a series of up to twelve examinations in the ancient languages and in knowledge of Biblical texts, the Scholarship was split into two, becoming one Prize for Divinity and one for Classics, in 1977. Since 1987 the Newcastle Scholarship has been an examination primarily in philosophy and ethics. Distinguished winners of the Newcastle Scholarship in its original form include Sir Edward Shepherd Creasy (1831), WR Inge (1879), Patrick Shaw-Stewart (1905), Quintin Hogg, Baron Hailsham of St Marylebone (1925), Douglas Hurd (1947) and William Waldegrave (1965, currently Provost of Eton College); those who have also become professional Classicists include Roger Mynors (1922), Charles Willink (1946), Adrian Hollis (1958), Richard Jenkyns (1966) and Armand D’Angour (1976).

Since 1988 it has been an examination in philosophical theology, moral theory and applied ethics. Candidates sit two three-hour papers after Long Leave in the Lent Half. Each paper consists of about 12 questions divided into two sections. Candidates must answer three questions in each paper, at least one chosen from each section.

Some of the most distinguished theologians and philosophers in the United Kingdom have been invited to examine the Newcastle Scholarship. In addition to setting the papers and marking the scripts, they have to choose a set book on a theme of their choice upon which the candidates are examined. The examiner interviews up to six candidates (The Newcastle Select) and from these candidates he/she chooses three boys who are nominated as 'winners' during the Reading Over.

Recent Winners

"KS": King's Scholar; "OS": Oppidan Scholar; "MS": Music Scholar; "ME": Music Exhibitioner; "ma": the elder of two siblings attending the school.

Year	Scholar	Medallist
1946	C. W. Willink, K.S.	T. J. Burrows, K.S.
1947	D. R. Hurd, K.S.	S. Goldblatt, K.S.
1948	C. L. Drage, O.S.	S. M. Haskell, K.S.
1949	S. M. Haskell, K.S.	S. H. Willink, K.S.
1950	S. H. Willink, K.S.	M. C. Stokes, K.S.
1951	S. L. Egerton, K.S.	M. C. Stokes, K.S.
1952	M. Mortimer, K.S.	W. J. A. Wickham, O.S.
1953	S. L. Hugh-Jones, K.S.	R. C. Palmer, K.S.
1954	R. B. O’G. Anderson ma, K.S.	P. M. O. Stafford, K.S.
1955	N. P. Bayne, K.S.	C. M. K. Taylor ma, K.S.
1956	E. L. Hussey, K.S.	P. T. S. Carson, K.S.
1957	M. Elliott, K.S.	A. S. Hollis, K.S.
1958	A. S. Hollis, K.S.	T. R. Adès, K.S.
1959	T. R. Adès, K.S.	J. P. Steele, K.S.
1960	K. A. O. Fulton, K.S.	G. A. D. Emerson, K.S.
1961	G. A. D. Emerson, K.S.	J. V. Kerby, K.S.
1962	R. J. A. Carnwath ma, O.S.	P. T. Hutchinson, K.S.
1963	F. M. Prideaux, K.S.	R. J. Lane Fox, K.S.
1964	A. G. Foster-Carter, K.S.	R. J. Lane Fox, K.S.
1965	The Hon. W. G. Waldegrave, O.S.	The Hon. A. J. L. Bruce, O.S.
1966	R. H. A. Jenkyns, K.S.	N. S. R. Hornblower, K.S.
1967	J. W. Waterfield, K.S.	N. S. R. Hornblower, K.S.
1968	The Hon. P. C. H. Snow, K.S.	O. W. A. Barnes, K.S.
1969	S. P. M. Mackenzie, K.S.	M. P. R. Wormald, K.S.
1970	R. R. Oliver, O.S.	The Hon. A. D. A. Macdonald, O.S.
1971	The Hon. A. W. R. Morrison, K.S.	A. J. Pemberton, K.S.
1972	A. J. Pemberton, K.S.	J. D. Leigh Pemberton ma, O.S.
1973	H. C. Lawson-Tancred, K.S.	S. G. Barber, O.S.
1974	M. J. Lyall Grant, O.S.	J. H. Leigh Pemberton ma, O.S.
1975	H. C. Eyres, K.S.	The Hon. G. S. Monck ma, O.S.
1976	A. J. D’Angour ma, K.S.	M. A. Anderson K.S.
1977	The Hon. A. A. J. Monson ma, O.S.	N. I. Macpherson, K.S.
1978	D. W. K. Anderson, K.S.	M.R.V. Southern KS
1979	J. W. Mackinnon, K.S.	J. W. R Cummings, K.S.
1980	P. D. P. Barnes ma, O.S.	M. Brandreth, K.S.
1981	K. K. Nath, K.S.	G. T. S. Davson, K.S.
1982	G. T. S. Davson K.S.	A. D. T. Cromartie, K.S.
1983	H. J. B. Smith, K.S.	A. D. T. Cromartie K.S.
1984	D. W. Runciman, O.S.	J. F. Boff, K.S.
1985	S. H. Mandelbrote, K.S.	A. J. N. Roxburgh K.S.
1986	P. S. Drinkall, O.S.	J. W. Rees-Mogg
1987	B. J. Smith ma, O.S.	W. G. Wringe, K.S.
1988	H. R. M. Dimbleby	C. R. Heatly, K.S. M.S.
1989	J. B. R. Reppas ma, K.S.	T. G. M. Mitcheson, O.S.
1990	E. W. J. Lamb	N. J. I. Kind, K.S.
1991	T. P. Elias, K.S.	D. K. Renton, O.S.
1992	K. A. A. Kwarteng, K.S.	F. F-T. Chen, O.S.
1993	D. A. S. Hugh-Jones, K.S.	A. C. Warr, O.S.
1994	I. N. M. Wright, K.S.	A. C. E. Ruck Keene, O.S.
1995	T. D. Calvocoressi, O.S.	R. J. Starling, K.S.
1996	P. M-T. Sohmen, K.S. M.E.	S. Krishnan, K.S.
1997	R. A. Elliott Lockhart, O.S.	R. V. Gowan ma, K.S.
1998	N. T. Shah, K.S.	L. P. C. Geddes
1999	C. P. W. Fielding, O.S.	N. T. Shah, K.S.
2000	J. D. J. Neicho, K.S.	M. J. Pappenheim, K.S.
2001	H. H. Briance, O.S.	A. Grenfell ma, K.S. M.E.
2002	O. J. C. Bridge	H. H. Briance, O.S.
2003	J. C. Dacre ma, K.S	H. J. Ellis, O.S.
2004	H. C. R. Donati, O.S.	T. C. Wingfield, O.S.
2005	H. C. R. Donati, O.S.	F. J. O. Spring
2006	N. H. J. Gaisman O.S. M.E.	A. H. White mi, K.S.
2007	M. I. L. Osman	A. T. P. Parham mi
2008	G. K. Kotecha, K.S.	J. H. F. Roxburgh, K.S.
2009	A. A. Nadeem, K.S.	R. Mehan, O.S.
2010	A. A. Cornish, K.S.	D. J. F. C. Leung, K.S. M.S.
2011	W. J. Gowers, K.S	H. Xu, K.S
2012	M. A. P. Seely, K.S.	T. A. Bannatyne, K.S.
2013	H.C. Elliott ma, K.S.	S.A.P. Norman ma, O.S. M.E
2014	C.J. Styles	A.A. Groes, O.S.
2015	B.P. Barnard	W. Baker
2016	J. Choo-Choy	M. Woernle ma OS

Recent Examiners

Year	Examiner	Set Text
1988	Professor John MacQuarrie (Christ Church, Oxford)	Peace Studies: The Hard Questions
1989	Canon Brian Hebblethwaite (Queens’ College. Cambridge)	Mahoney, Bioethics and Belief
1990	Professor Stephen Prickett (Glasgow University)	Prickett, What do the Translators Think They are Up To?
1991	Rabbi Julia Neuberger	Webster, A Brief History of Blasphemy
1992	The Rt Revd Stephen Sykes (Bishop of Ely)	Report on Faith in the Countryside
1993	Professor Basil Mitchell (Oxford University)	Sacks, The Persistence of Faith
1994	Sir Anthony Kenny (Rhodes House, Oxford)	Casey, Pagan Virtue
1995	Professor Stephen Clark (Liverpool University)	Regis, Great Mambo Chicken and the Transhuman Condition
1996	Dr Janet Martin Soskice (Jesus College, Cambridge)	Sacks, Faith in the Future
1997	Dr Graham Ward (Peterhouse, Cambridge)	Weil, Gravity and Grace
1998	Professor David Pailin (Manchester University)	Mesle, Process Theology
1999	Professor Peter Lipton (King’s College, Cambridge)	Nagel, Mortal Questions
2000	Professor Ann Loades MBE (Durham University)	Pelikan, Jesus through the Centuries
2001	Mr Michael Proudfoot (Reading University)	Warnock, Imagination and Time
2002	Professor John Webster (Christ Church, Oxford)	MacIntyre, Dependent Rational Animals
2003	Professor Roger Trigg (Warwick University)	Fukuyama, Our Posthuman Future
2004	Professor Anthony O'Hear (Birmingham University)	Hume, Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion
2005	Professor George Pattison (Christ Church, Oxford)	Kierkegaard, Fear and Trembling
2006	Dr Fraser Watts (Queens’ College, Cambridge)	James Proctor, Science, Religion and the Human Experience
2007	Dr Susan Parsons (Universities of Cambridge and Nottingham)	Anselm, Proslogion
2009	Dr Douglas Hedley (Clare College, Cambridge)	Kant, The Moral Law
2010	Professor John Cottingham (Reading University)	Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morality
2011	Dr Paolo Crivelli (New College, Oxford)	Plato, Phaedo
2012	Dr Dave Leal (Brasenose College, Oxford)	Ryle, The Concept of Mind
2013	Professor Derek Matravers (Emmanuel College, Cambridge)	Williams, Morality
2014	Dr William Wood (Oriel College, Oxford)	Pascal, Pensées
2015	Dr Clare Carlisle (King’s College, London)	Lear, Radical Hope
2016	Dr Jonathan Loose (Universities of London and Cambridge)	Plantinga, Knowledge and Christian Belief

Winners of the Newcastle Classical Prize since 1976

Year	Scholar	Proxime accessit
1976	R.W. Bourne KS	T.A. Oates OS
1977	N.T. Morgan ma KS	M.R.V. Southern KS
1978	G.W. Philipps ma KS	A.P.M. Beeley OS
1979	J.W. Mackinnon KS	H.M. Matovu mi KS
1980	J. Minney ms KS	P.D. Clancy OS
1981	A.B. Johnson ma KS	G.T.S. Davson KS
1982	H.J.B. Smith KS	W.D.M. Buckley ma OS
1983	R.J.B. Hoare KS	N.E. Evans Lombe KS
1984	NOT	AWARDED
1985	A.J.N. Roxburgh KS	C.M. Phipps OS
1986	A.S. Brown KS	E.J. Baden-Powell OS
1987	S. Towler KS	W.B.M. Coley KS
1988	N.A.H. Dent OS	J.C.S. Sword KS
1989	D.J. Causebrook KS	L.S.-K. Fung OS MS, M.J.H. Meynell ma
1990	S.J. Lloyd KS	P.A. Delves Broughton OS
1991	H.J.S. Howard KS	I. Tebb KS
1992	G.A.J. Kelly ma OS	N.P. Larkin KS
1993	K.A.A. Kwarteng KS	C.A.C. Smith KS
1994	A. Oliver KS MS	A.G. Buchanan OS
1995	M.R.B. Wilson KS	A.S. Zihni KS
1996	J.P. Wootton OS	S.A. Sorell KS
1997	C.L. Whitton OS MS	M.A.C. Martin OS
1998	C.P.W. Fielding OS	A.S. McCluskey OS ME
1999	A.C.M. Anslow OS	W.D.F. Brett OS ME
2000	M.J. Pappenheim KS. MS.	C.D.A. Wright OS.
2001	H.H. Briance OS.	A.G.R. Summers KS.
2002	T.E. Cameron KS.	T.H.W. Casey OS.
2003	C.N. Morrison OS.	A.O.K.Edun ma OS.
2004	T.A.S.Rudkin OS.	J.F. Manhood KS.
2005	Y.Kawata KS.	J.K. Romer-Lee OS.
2006	M.S. Ostrowski KS. ME.	F.C.C.T. Parham ma KS
2007	H.C. Lyall Grant OS	O.J.W. Murphy KS.
2008	J.H.F. Roxburgh KS.	H.W. Lebus
2009	A.A. Cornish KS.	M.E.F. Bridges OS. ME.
2010	O.J.Y-T. Koo OS.	R.B. Morley KS.
2011	D.A.S. Byam-Shaw KS.	E. Loh KS. and G.H.F. Hull OS.
2012	W.D.D. Tilston KS.	V.W.W. Taylor