News

11 February 2022

John Lyon receives seal at St Paul’s Cathedral

On Friday 11 February, as part of Harrow School’s 450 celebration, John Lyon School was invited to a historic service at St Paul’s Cathedral to commemorate this milestone. Sixth Formers and staff from John Lyon attended the ceremony, alongside some 2,000 representatives and members from across the Harrow family of schools.

In 1572, Queen Elizabeth I granted to John Lyon a charter for the foundation of a school upon Harrow-on-the-Hill. That charter, the charter for Harrow School, with its seal of royal assent, was displayed on the altar surrounded by new seals which were commissioned and fashioned as exact facsimiles of that original seal. After being blessed by the Bishop of London, these were given out to all the members of the Harrow family. These include the Houses of Harrow School, John Lyon School, John Lyon’s Charity, the Harrow Club, the International Schools and Harrow School Online. May they be to all who look on them a symbol and living reminder of John Lyon’s founding wish: to enable the studies of ‘Godliness and Good Learning’ for all young people.