About US

Wellington College was built in the late 1850s as the national monument to the first Duke of Wellington following his death in 1852. It was originally granted a Royal Charter to educate the orphan sons of Army officers, and since then this has been extended to daughters as well as the other Services and Ranks.

The original site consisted mainly of heathland and bog with almost no trees, and you can still see evidence of this today: almost all the trees are no older than about 150, parts of the estate are criss-crossed with drainage ditches, and heather grows in some of the woodland. Part of the heathland and bog remain intact in the south of the estate, and this area is now protected within the College’s Local Nature Reserve (Edgbarrow Woods) as a Site of Special Scientific Interest because these are now UK BAP (Biodiversity Action Plan) habitats. This SSSI and the reserve are open to the public.

Latest Updates

Great Spotted Woodpecker

The Great Spotted Woodpecker is one of two woodpecker species that we have here at Wellington, the other being the Green Woodpecker.

Goldcrest

The Goldcrest is surprisingly common at Wellington but rather difficult to spot.

Greylag Goose

A very distinctive bird with its pinkish-orange bill and pink legs, the Greylag Goose is a new visitor to Swan Lake, making its first appearance in the spring of 2021.

Latest Updates

Great Spotted Woodpecker

The Great Spotted Woodpecker is one of two woodpecker species that we have here at Wellington, the other being the Green Woodpecker.

Goldcrest

The Goldcrest is surprisingly common at Wellington but rather difficult to spot.

Greylag Goose

A very distinctive bird with its pinkish-orange bill and pink legs, the Greylag Goose is a new visitor to Swan Lake, making its first appearance in the spring of 2021.

Wren

The Wren, one of Britain’s smallest birds, is a resident here at Wellington College.