Much like I did with Bristol, there are two parts to this blogpost.
A few days ago, I blogged about a college in Cambridge. This time, let's blog about some more...and other places.
As I mentioned in the last blogpost, Cambridge University was established in 1209, and quickly grew after that. By 1284, the first college opened, and now there are thirty-one. And as soon as you leave St John's, you can spot another one, their next-door neighbours.
Trinity
Trinity College is younger, being founded in 1546 by Henry VIII through the merger of two former colleges, though both had been much older, forming in the early 14th century. It's probably the most well known college, and is also the wealthiest by far (nearly doubling St John's in terms of assets), at about £1.34bn. It's even got the most University Challenge wins from the Cambridge colleges.
There's not much to see of it from the street, however, except for this ornate entrance. It's called the Great Gate, one of many in the city, and a statue of Henry stands in the middle of it. Curiously, though, he used to hold a table leg where a sword used to be, but sadly some people in suits decided to create a staff to put there instead due to the King's birthday last year. Above, the flag that displays the emblem of Edward III (king at the time of the two original colleges) fluttered in the sky, and various bikes were standing around, for this was a Monday and Cambridge is bike mad.
Gonville and Caius
Gonville and Caius was founded by...Gonville and Caius - but not at the same time. Originally, Edmund Gonville founded Gonville Hall in 1348, but his lacklustre financial decisions meant that his desire for a prosperous college focusing on theology didn't happen by his death in 1351. Then John Caius came along in 1557 and as a successful medic had the funds to make the college far better. Thus it became Gonville and Caius, eventually expanding to its current size during his time there. There's no magnificent gateway advertising it, just a more modest doorway which was closed to visitors, with the coat of arms, a combination of Gonville's and Caius' insignia, attached. Yet when compared to its lavish neighbour, Trinity, Caius has upheld quite well, even with its smaller area. Only Trinity has produced more Nobel Prize winners than Caius, and it's arguably one of the biggest colleges in Cambridge.
King's College
Caius' neighbour is King's College Cambridge, which looks magnificent. And that's with all the scaffolding that's up. It came about in 1441
after King Henry VI decided to buy out lots of built on land and level
it, before constructing the college and its distinctive chapel.
Initally, the college would only admit students from Eton (which Henry
also owned), which it did for 400 years.
The chapel, though, took many more years to complete, finally being finished by 1515 during the reign of Henry VIII, and one can't deny all that time was worth it. They said it was one of the best buildings constructed then, and it's not hard to admire now how intricate its design is in places. You're even able to visit the chapel - but I didn't have time to go inside.
More of Cambridge
Let's take a break from colleges:
Right round the corner is the Church of St Mary the Great. It's foundations have been around since 1010, though after burning down in 1290, was later rebuilt - the current church has stood for 550 years now. It's known as the University Church due to its association with Cambridge, and its patronage belongs to Trinity, of course. There's also the local market, which has been around in various forms since the Middle Ages. Various colourful tents standing at the foot of the church, with stalls selling food, art and various items. Open for six hours every day, it's far more interesting than the comparatively dull high streets, what with their Caffe Neros and university merchandise shops. There wasn't enough time to buy anything, though - we had to proceed onwards.
The Guildhall's opposite the market, and that too has been around for hundreds of years. In fact, this year is the 800 year anniversary - in a way. The original guildhall was built in the same area, originally a house owned by a Jew called Benjamin (apparently the only thing we know about him) to be converted into a prison. The next door synagogue was later converted into a market toll booth, and over the next 700 years, there were many demolisions, reconstructions and expansions, before the current Guildhall was finished in 1939. It often hosts events such as weddings and tea dances, a fate that often falls to such historic buildings.
I found this statue of a cat standing on a hat resting on some jellybeans rather cute and unusual. It's actually in dedication to charity fundraiser Snowy Farr, who, looking like a soldier, performed with animals like cats, dogs and goats. The statue has stood here since 2012, just outside the Guildhall where he performed. It's delightfully abstract in a way that many might dismiss as pretentious, though personally I think it adds some much needed colour to this brick-built city.
I will link Part 2 here when it arrives.
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