Notions (Winchester College)

A page from a Notions book.
A page from Winchester College Notions, by Three Beetleites, 1901. This was long considered authoritative.[1]

Notions are the specialised terms and customs used by pupils of Winchester College.[2] Some are specific to the school; others are survivals of slang or dialect that were once in wider usage. Notions tests were formerly held in each house of the school, and numerous manuscript and printed books were written to collect notions for pupils to learn. Some notions were customs, such as the Morning Hills assembly held on top of St. Catherine's Hill; others were humorous, like the Pempe, a practical joke played on new pupils. Most notions have now fallen into disuse.

  1. ^ Sabben-Clare 1981, p. 146.
  2. ^ Lawson, Hope & Cripps 1901, pp. 84 and passim