Exeter College Boat Club (ECBC) is the boat club of
Exeter College, Oxford
(Let Exeter Flourish)
, old_names = ''Stapeldon Hall''
, named_for = Walter de Stapledon, Bishop of Exeter
, established =
, sister_college = Emmanuel College, Cambridge
, rector = Sir Richard Trainor
...
, England. The club trains on the
Thames
The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the ...
on the
Isis
Isis (; ''Ēse''; ; Meroitic language, Meroitic: ''Wos'' 'a''or ''Wusa''; Phoenician language, Phoenician: 𐤀𐤎, romanized: ʾs) was a major ancient Egyptian deities, goddess in ancient Egyptian religion whose worship spread throughou ...
stretch in Oxford and at
Abingdon, Oxfordshire
Abingdon-on-Thames ( ), commonly known as Abingdon, is a historic market town and civil parish in the ceremonial county of Oxfordshire, England, on the River Thames. Historically the county town of Berkshire, since 1974 Abingdon has been admi ...
.
The Boat Club competes primarily in
Torpids
Torpids is one of two series of bumping races, a type of rowing race, held yearly at Oxford University; the other is Eights Week. Over 130 men's and women's crews race for their colleges in six men's divisions and five women's; almost 1,200 pa ...
and
Summer Eights
Eights Week, also known as Summer Eights, is a four-day regatta of bumps races which constitutes the University of Oxford's main intercollegiate rowing event of the year. The regatta takes place in May of each year, from the Wednesday to the ...
bumps race
A bumps race is a form of rowing race in which a number of boats chase each other in single file, each crew attempting to catch and ‘bump’ the boat in front without being caught by the boat behind.
The form is mainly used in intercollegia ...
s in Oxford. However, it also races at various external events, such as
Wallingford Regatta
Wallingford Regatta is a rowing regatta which takes place on Dorney Lake, Buckinghamshire near Eton next to the River Thames in southern England. It attracts crews from schools, clubs and universities from around the United Kingdom.
The rega ...
.
The college has a
boathouse
A boathouse (or a boat house) is a building especially designed for the storage of boats, normally smaller craft for sports or leisure use. describing the facilities These are typically located on open water, such as on a river. Often the boats ...
on
Christ Church Meadow which it shares with
Brasenose College Boat Club
Brasenose College Boat Club (BNCBC) is the rowing club of Brasenose College, Oxford, in Oxford, England. It is one of the oldest boat clubs in the world, having beaten Jesus College Boat Club in the first modern rowing race, held at Oxford in ...
.
History
There is no record of Exeter College putting a crew on the river before 1823. The Exeter College Boat Club would appear to have been founded in 1823 or 1824 under the impetus of
Henry Bulteel. Bulteel had been an undergraduate at Brasenose College, and stroked Brasenose to the headship in 1821 and 1822. Bulteel became a Fellow of Exeter College in 1823, and the Boat Club seemes to have been formed at that time.
Exeter College Boat Club first took part in
Summer Eights
Eights Week, also known as Summer Eights, is a four-day regatta of bumps races which constitutes the University of Oxford's main intercollegiate rowing event of the year. The regatta takes place in May of each year, from the Wednesday to the ...
in 1824, with Bulteel stroking. That year they rowed in the famous "White Boat", which had been built in the Plymouth dockyard, and brought to Oxford by Brasenose College boatman, Stephen Davis. Being a coastal boat, it was found to sit too high out of the water to be rowed effectively on the Isis. The boat was therefore cut down to reduce the height of the gunwales, and it was in this boat that the College won its first headship in 1824.
From 1827-30 there was no Exeter eight on the river. The colours of the club, adopted around 1837 were red and black, the colours of the college arms. It was presumably these colours which were used for racing kerchiefs, recorded in the Exeter College Boat Club Treasurer's Book as being purchased in 1844. These were to be "kept peculiar to the racing crew" as opposed to other members of the College Boat Club.
In 1856 Exeter used the first keel-less boat on the river and in this they went head from 1857 until 1859. From twelfth place in 1879 they rose to fourth in 1881 and to Head in 1882. They kept the headship from 1882 to 1884 inclusive.
In 1882 Exeter won the
Grand Challenge Cup
The Grand Challenge Cup is a rowing competition for men's eights. It is the oldest and best-known event at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England. It is open to male crews from all eligible rowing ...
at
Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta (or Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage) is a rowing event held annually on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. It was established on 26 March 1839. It differs from the thr ...
.
Uniform

Exeter is associated with the colour red, which features prominently on its crest. The colour is used in racing kits, blazers, ties and blades.
The first known use of a tie in club colours was by members of Exeter College eight. In 1880, they took the ribbons off their boaters and tied them around their necks as a way to identify with their college.
Members who have raced in the first crews in Torpids are granted the right to wear this tie. Members who have raced in the first boats in Summer Eights are permitted to wear the club blazer. The blazer is peony red, with black trim. Captains are entitled to an extra stripe on the sleeve.
Results
Torpids
Headship
* Men: 1846-47, 1854-57, 1859-60, 1863-65, 1867-68
Summer Eights
Headship
*Men:1824, 1838, 1857-58, 1882-84
Henley Royal Regatta
The Boat Race

Exeter College has been represented by members at the following Boat Races:
Reserves
The Women's Boat Race
Exeter College has been represented by members at the following Boat Races:
Reserves
References
*
*
External links
Exeter College Boat Club HomepageExeter College Boat Club on the OURCs site
{{United Kingdom rowing clubs
Rowing clubs of the University of Oxford
Boat Club
A boat club is a sports club serving boat owners, particularly those interested in rowing and yachting, but also kayaking, canoeing, motor boats and other small boats.
See also
*Rowing club
*Yacht club
A yacht club is a sports club specifi ...
1823 establishments in England
Sports clubs established in the 1820s
Rowing clubs in Oxfordshire
Rowing clubs of the River Thames