At the far west of the town is Marlborough College, one of Britain’s leading public schools (which, for our American visitors, means a private school – confusing, we know). It was founded in 1843 for the sons of clergymen, in premises formerly known as the Castle Inn, which – like many coaching houses in the town – found itself on its uppers when the Bristol-to-London railway line was opened, negating the three day horse-drawn slog from the Capital to the west country along the A4.
Notable former students include the architect William Morris, Lady in Red singer Chris de Burgh, Guinness Book of Records editor Norris McWhirter, travel writer Bruce Chatwin, war poet Siegfried Sassoon, the poet laureate John Betjeman, and a fair few royals, including Mark Phillips, Princess Eugenie and Kate Middleton.