Not a harrowing place for the boys (4)
I believe the answer is:
eton
'a harrowing place for the boys' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this defines the answer.
'not' is the wordplay.
I cannot really understand how this works, but
an anagram of 'not' is 'ton' which is within the answer.
A single letter 'e' remains which might be clued in a way I don't see.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for eton that I've seen before include "British public school of note" , "School; jacket type" , "English college of note" , "Public school near Windsor" , "College, collar or crop" .)