That’s the message of the New Building stairs which artist Helen Ashton decorated to celebrate some of our extraordinary alumni – one step per former pupil.

Their stories are fascinating and diverse. Some of them have enjoyed coming back to see their step! Actor Sean Gilder is shown here. 

Christopher Urswick features on the bottom step. He studied here in the 15^th century, probably as a boarder. 

He became a household name during the Wars of the Roses. Urswick’s CV (or LinkedIn profile, perhaps) included serving as chaplain to Lady Margaret Beaufort, who was mother of Henry VII, the first Tudor king;  and as Master of King’s Hall which became Trinity College, Cambridge.

He was also Dean of Windsor, Dean of York, Canon of St Paul’s Cathedral, Archdeacon of Oxford, Henry VII’s ambassador in Europe; and he arranged the first marriage of Catherine of Aragon. Today’s pupils might match all that, but Christopher Urswick will remain forever the only Old Lancastrian with a speaking part in one of Shakespeare’s plays! 

The top step of our staircase is left symbolically empty: “Your name here?” Great stories start right here.