Collecting Colleges and curiosities.

It was just too hot once we had moored so we sat in the shade of a tree and had a drink, and a rest. After an hour or so, and as the heat of the day was dissipating to a more bearable 35C we headed into the city. We walked over Jesus Lock weir and were soon amongst the colleges.

This is the Great Gate of Trinity College that leads to the Great Court. Trinity College was formed of a couple of older colleges by Henry VIII just before he died. That is the reason that there is a statue of him above the gate. The statue seems to be holding the orb and sceptre but the sceptre or sword is actually a chair leg! Nobody knows when or how, or by whom this was done. The Coat of Arms below him is that of Edward III who founded King's Hall that was one of the merged colleges.

The Great Gate of St. John's College that was founded in 1511 by an endowment from Lady Margret Beaufort. Her coat or arms is above the door. On each side are her ensigns, the red rose and the portcullis. Either side of the coat or arms are Yales, mythical beasts that have the head of a goat with swivelling horns, the body of an antelope and the tail of an elephant. In the tabernacle above is a statue of St. John the Evangelist who has an eagle at his feet and holding a symbolic poisoned chalice. St. John The Evangelist Hospital was on this site and was converted to a college in 1511. 

The Old Divinity School is not that old as it was built in 1879. It is actually on the site of the original Divinity school of 1400 and was the centre of the university. Now it is part of St. John's College which is opposite. The architect was Basil Champney and is called Gothic or Tudor style. The statues were added in empty niches after it was built in 1890, and are of Theologians that are related to the University. From left to right, John Pearson, Saint John Fisher, Thomas Cranmer and Joseph Barber Lightfoot. the higher statue to the right is of Lancelot Andrews.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is more commonly known as the Round Church for some reason. It was built in 1130 by a group of Austin Canons and was built to be be like the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. It's congregation out grew the premises in 1994 and is now housing the Cambridge Story.

This is a classic matter of missing a lot if you don't look up. This is 12 St. John's Street and was built in the mid to late 1800's and was for a tailor's It is now the premises of the Honk Kong Fusion establishment.

This is the Gate of Honour of Gonville and Caius (I think said as 'Keys')College and is making a good umbrella for Helen as a sharp shower of rain passes through. It is the most direct route to the Senate House and Library of the college but it is only used following students graduation. It was built in 1575 and the hexagonal tower has a sundial on each face.

Looking east down Senate House Passage the Gonville and Caius College court is to the left. The building to the right is the University Senate House that built in Portland stone between 1722 and 1730 and is mainly used for the colleges of the university's graduation ceremonies. The building in the centre is the eastern side of the Tree Court of Gonville and Caius College. It was built in 1870 by the architect Alfred Waterhouse. Senate House Passage has only one building that is not either listed as Grade I or II*, making it just about the most historic street in the country.

This is the west end of Kings Chapel Cambridge, looking south. It was started in 1446 by Henry VI, but took over a hundred years to complete. It has the largest fan vaulting in the world and some magnificent stained glass.

It seems that a feature of many of the college buildings are these oriel windows. This one is at the back of the University of Cambridge Old Schools building. This is the administration offices of the University and is a Grade I listed building. The original 1440's buildings were demolished in 1829. This window is in the west range that was built between 1864 and 1867 designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott.

Garret Hostel Lane runs between Trinity College New Court to the left and Trinity Hall Fellows garden to the right. I am standing on Garret Hostel Bridge that was built in 1960, the eighth on the site. It was designed by Tim Guy Morgan who was at the time an undergraduate at Jesus College. The students call it 'Orgasm Bridge' due to the feeling of relief when you get to top of the steep bridge and are able to coast down the other side on your bike! It was one of the first post-tensioned concrete bridges in the country.

I found this statue to be very fine. They are found on either side of the Bronze Roll of Honour to the men of Cambridgeshire and the Suffolk Regiment who were killed or died of their wounds or disease during the Boer War.  On the other side the the soldier is in the bush dress with slouch hat. It was unveiled in 1905.

This is looking to the south west down Portugal Place that makes a nice short cut from Bridge Street, across Jesus Green and back to the boat. It is probably named after the delivery of port by ship to the nearby quayside for the high tables of the colleges. In the background is the parish church of St. Clement.