Cambridge
Town Guide


Caius College


This University College is located on Trinity Street, in the heart of the city.

It is named after its two founders - Gonville who first founded the college in 1347, and Caius (pronounced "keys") who re-founded it after the reformation in the 16th century. But you will most likely hear it referred to as simply Caius College.

The college is most famous for its three elaborate gateways, which represent respectively Humility, Virtue and Honour.

These represent the desired path of academic excellence for new undergraduates enter the college through the Gate of Humility and then the last gate, Honour, leads directly to the Senate House and graduation.


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Cam, River


The River Cam runs right through the very heart of Cambridge, and it lends the town a wonderfully picturesque and pleasant feel.

There are plenty of places in Cambridge where you can enjoy a pleasant stroll along the river's edge. An area particularly worth heading for is the part of the river known as the "Backs", so called because of the University Colleges which back onto it.

But of course, the traditional thing to do in Cambridge is to enjoy the river by taking to a punt for an afternoon of punting along.


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Cambridge University


Cambridge Town Guide, Cambridge University, 9K
Like its great rival, Oxford, Cambridge is most famous for its University, a centre of academic excellence since the 13th century.

The University was first founded as the result of some unrest between the University and the townspeople in Oxford. The unrest led some Oxford University students to look for somewhere else to study - and Cambridge, with its religious academics seemed an obvious choice.

Also like Oxford, Cambridge's academic roots lie in monastic traditions, whereby students study under their individual master. As a result the University of Cambridge is made up of separate colleges, each with their own unique histories and traditions.

Over the years more than 30 such colleges have been founded, and Cambridge University has gained an enviable reputation as a centre for academic excellence.

Today many of the colleges are open to the public, although opening hours vary greatly so do check in advance. In addition, there are some restrictions to public access, particularly during exam time, so you may be disappointed.

More information about the best known and most interesting of the University Colleges can be found by using the links below.

| Christ's College | Corpus Christi College | Emmanuel College |
| Gonville and Caius College | Jesus College | St John's College | Kings College |
| Magdalene College | Pembroke College | Queens College | Trinity College |

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Christ's College


Christ's College is located in the centre of Cambridge, just off St Andrew's Street.

The College was founded in 1505 by Lady Mary Beaufort, mother of Henry VII. Her coat of arms can be seen over the entrance to the college.

Some of the College's original buildings remain, although much of the College was re-built in the 18th century.

Famous past students from Christ's College include John Milton and Charles Darwin. The former is said to have planted the huge mulberry tree in the grounds.


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Church of the Holy Sepulchre


The official name of this church is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, although it is more commonly referred to as the Round Church. It is located on Bridge Street, in the town centre.

The church dates from the 12th century, when it was built in honour of the original church of the same name in Jerusalem. Some parts of the original church remain, although the roof is a fairly recent 19th century addition.

The round design of the church is extremely rare for there are only four like it in the whole of the UK, and of those four, this one is the oldest.

Today it no longer serves as a parish church, but houses an excellent brass rubbing centre where you can learn the centuries old art.

The Round church is open daily, but hours vary according to season so do check in advance. Admission is free. Brass rubbing costs around £2.


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Corpus Christi College


Corpus Christi College is located just off Kings Parade, in the city centre. This is one of the oldest of the University Colleges in the city, having been founded way back in 1352.

The college has strong ties with the adjacent St Benedict's Church, otherwise known as St Bene't's Church, whose Saxon tower is the oldest building in Cambridge.

But Corpus Christi is most famous for its Parker Library, which houses a valuable collection of old and rare Anglo-Saxon manuscripts.


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