Cambridge

[puddleshark]

Gatehouse, King's College, Cambridge by William Wilkins. 1824-28.

Cambridge is glorious, and I did not like it much. I always have a problem with palaces. Whether it is cathedrals (palaces built to the glory of God), the bigger stately homes (palaces build to the glory of aristocratic families), or Cambridge colleges (palaces built to the glory of learning and the glory of monarchs). Glory is such an uncomfortable sort of companion.

I'm sure if you live and work in Cambridge, the glory effect wears off, and you start to see and love the detail, but for the day-tripper, it is All Too Much...




King's College, founded in 1441 by King Henry VI, though "Little progress was made on the project until 1508, when King Henry VII began to take an interest in the college, probably as a political move to legitimise his new position. The building of the college's chapel began in 1446, and was finished in 1544 during the reign of Henry VIII." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King%27s_College,_Cambridge


Yer man, Henry VIII.


Peace camp. A banner was hanging from a window, "MAKE SOUP NOT WAR". (Lest you be deceived by the fancy architecture into thinking King's College cannot possibly be a real university...)

I timed my visit to Cambridge just after the exams had finished, and a few days after the colleges had all been holding their May balls, so most of the colleges were closed to the public. But it was probably just as well. I was pretty overwhelmed by the facades of the colleges. If I had seen inside the courts as well, it probably would have been too much for me to take in, and I would have been found weeping in a corner somewhere.

I only got to wander round one college, Downing College, during my trip. But I did get to peer through a lot of gatehouses...









I have no idea which colleges these belong to. I forgot to take notes.


This one is Peterhouse, the oldest of the Cambridge colleges, founded in 1284 by Hugh de Balsham, Bishop of Ely.



Corpus Christi. "The college is notable as the only one founded by Cambridge townspeople: it was established in 1352 by the Guild of Corpus Christi and the Guild of the Blessed Virgin Mary, making it the sixth-oldest college in Cambridge." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corpus_Christi_College,_Cambridge




Downing College.

Upon the death of Sir George Downing, 3rd Baronet in 1749, the wealth left by his grandfather, Sir George Downing, 1st Baronet, who served both Cromwell and Charles II and built 10 Downing Street (a door formerly from Number 10 is in use in the college), was applied by his will. Under this will, as he had no direct issue (he was legally separated from his wife), the family fortune was left to his cousin, Sir Jacob Downing, 4th Baronet, and if he died without heir, to three cousins in succession. If they all died without issue, the estates were to be used to found a college at Cambridge called Downing.

Sir Jacob died in 1764, and as the other named heirs had also died, the college should have come into existence then, but Sir Jacob's widow, Margaret, refused to give up the estates and the various relatives who were Sir George's legal heirs had to take costly and prolonged action in the Court of Chancery to compel her to do so. She died in 1778 but her second husband and the son of her sister continued to resist the heirs-at-law's action until 1800 when the court decided in favour of Sir George's will and George III granted Downing a royal charter, marking the official foundation of the college.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downing_College,_Cambridge

Impressively long chancery suit...


See what I mean about palaces of learning?








After the dazzling architecture, the second thing I noticed about Cambridge was the bicycles. It is Bicycle City. I had to work quite hard not to be run over by bicycles when taking photos.






Hobson Street.

The famous phrase 'Hobson's choice' can be traced back to a Cambridge carrier who operated a livery stable delivering mail and providing transport to and from London in the early 17th century.

Thomas Hobson, who was born in 1545, recognised that his best horses were in most demand and that they were also the most overworked. He therefore devised a strict rotation system, only allowing customers to rent the next horse in line.

This 'take that one or none' ultimatum ensured Hobson's reputation as an astute businessman and city character, and the poet John Milton would later immortalise the expression 'Hobson's choice' in two commemorative epitaphs.

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/what-is-designation/heritage-highlights/hobsons-choice/

The Corpus Clock.

The clock's face is a rippling 24-carat gold-plated stainless steel disc, about 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) in diameter. It has no hands or numerals, but displays the time by opening individual slits in the clock face backlit with blue LEDs; these slits are arranged in three concentric rings displaying hours, minutes, and seconds...

The clock is entirely accurate only once every five minutes. The rest of the time, the pendulum may seem to catch or stop, and the lights may lag or, then, race to get ahead.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corpus_Clock

Atop the clock, the Chronophage. "Below the clock is an inscription from the Vulgate 1 John 2:17: mundus transit et concupiscentia eius ('the world passeth away, and the lust thereof')."




A different tie for each college, I assume. But what if you are one of the 50% of the population who never wears a tie? A T-shirt, maybe?



General notes:

The tea rooms in Cambridge are busy and really, really expensive. But Caffè Nero does a nice coffee and croissant. And there's some lovely street food available from vans by the market.

There is only one set of public conveniences open in the whole of the city, and it is on the second floor of the shopping mall.

Comments

[heleninwales]

I've only visited Cambridge once and we went for a walk along the river to escape the historic buildings for a while. I've visited Oxford a couple of times and much preferred it. But you are in peril from bicycles there too.

I knew the story of Hobson, but didn't know that he lived in Cambridge. My first address was on a much humbler Hobson Street in Manchester. We left that house when I was less than 2 years old, so don't remember living there.

[puddleshark]

It's odd that I've managed to visit Cambridge, but never made to Oxford, which is a much shorter drive. Maybe one of these days...

I never knew where the phrase Hobson's Choice came from before. I bet his customers were all praying for luck when they went to collect their horse. 😊

[mallorys_camera]

Great photos! Thanks!

I liked Cambridge (& Oxford), but then I like ancient citadels of learning generally. 😀

[puddleshark]

Thank you!

It struck me quite forcibly as a young man was propelling me along the River Cam in a punt, what a terrible traveller I am. No sense of adventure whatsoever. I can't imagine how grumpy I would be if I ever made it to Venice...

[mallorys_camera]

Is it that you have no sense of adventure or that you know the types of adventures you like and stick with those? I'd argue the latter. 😀

[puddleshark]

😊

Perhaps. That would be very small adventures, then, generally involving tea at some point...