Whilst at school the master, Henry Stokes, taught the boys Latin and Greek. It used to be thought that mathematics was not taught to any great extent, but a handwritten mathematics book, dated 1654 was discovered in Grantham Museum. It may have been written by Stokes and is the book that he used to teach the boys, including Isaac. The book included the extraction of square and cube roots, geometry and trigonometrical functions. Initially Newton was placed in the lowest form and another pupil (which may have been Arthur Storer) kicked him in the stomach. After school Newton challenged him to a fight and they both went into the churchyard. The school master's son came too to encourage them to fight. Although Isaac was smaller than the other boy, he beat him and pulled him by the ears and thrust his face against the side of the church. Perhaps encouraged by his success, Newton quickly rose to be the first in the school and carved his name on every bench that he sat at. He also carved his name on the school window ledge. His academic superiority soon became apparent and the other boys started to dislike him, a feeling which was mutual. Years later he confessed to 'putting a pin in John Keys's hat on Thy day to pick him'.

Engraved name in the window ledge of 'The Old School'

During the first four and a half years that Isaac was at school he filled his room at Mr Clarke's house with tools, which consumed all of his money. He made lots of models and was especially fascinated by sundials. He carved lots in his lodgings and knocked pegs in the walls to mark the hours, half hours and quarter hours.  He also tied string on them to mark the shadows. There is a carved sundial in Colsterworth church that Newton is supposed to have carved and others on the outside walls of the school. He also became interested in drawing and covered Mr Clarke's house walls with charcoal drawings of birds, beasts, men, ships and plants. He also drew Charles I, John Donne and Mr Stokes. At his own home in Woolsthorpe the walls are carved by shapes and a carving of what is thought to be St Wulfam's Church. 

© The King's School, Grantham                                                     Page updated December 2011