Tour

Question 1

Laundress Green

Answer 1

Where washerwoman would dry laundry after washing it in the river

Animals grazed, and open sewer so very dirty

Became anchor inn where washerwoman lived

Question 2

Queen’s collage

Answer 2

Founded in 1448 by wife of King Henry 6th, Margaret of Anjou

Later re-founded by Elizabeth Woodville, wife of Edward IV the mother of the 2 princes murdered in the tower of London

Question 3

Mathematical bridge

Answer 3

Made in 1750, designed by William Etheridge student of Queens, after he visited the far East

(now second replica)

Contrary to popular belief wasn’t built by Sir Issac Newton (dead for 20 years), nor was it taken apart by students who were unable to reassemble it

Question 4

King’s collage

Answer 4

Founded in 1441 by King Henry the 6th, as a collage for boys from his school, Eton

Not very high expectations for students, Rules had to state not to bring whole variety of bizzare animals on to the ground

Also no wrestling in the chapel

Students also could be awarded degrees without having to take exams

Question 5

King’s Chapel

Answer 5

Henry 6th build collage with chapel as centre piece (1446)

Henry himself was meant to lay foundation stone, however sent his cousin, as he feared the “ air and the pestilence” of the town

He didn’t live to see it completed

Question 6

Clare’s collage

Answer 6

Second oldest collage, and was founded in 1338 by Lady Elizabeth de Clare

To provide Clerks to replace those killed by plague

Very wealthy due to 3 shortlived husbands who she had got through by the age of 27

David Attenbrough is a honouree fellow

Question 7

Clare Bridge

Answer 7

1640
Oldest bridge in Cambridge
Cost £65 to build and designer Thomas Grumbold only payed 15p for his work

Was outraged and decided to take payment by cutting a 15p value of the bridge for himself

Question 8

Trinity Hall

Answer 8

Was founded by a bishop in 1350 to provide lawyers killed in the plague

Question 9

Trinity Collage

Answer 9

From Henry the 8th foundation, from money from land and income seized from dissolved monasteries

So wealthy (1.5 billion) could travel from Cambridge to Oxford (80 miles), purely on land owned by collage

Issac Newton and Poet Byron, Stephen hawking

Trinity didn’t ban bears… so Byron kept one by his room to scare fellow students

They altered the rules….

Question 10

Wren Library

Answer 10

Late 1600’s
75,000 books, including first edition of newtons principia mathematica, and first editions of shakespear plays

A.A milne’s early sketches for winnie the pooh

Question 11

St John’s collage

Answer 11

Founded by Lady Margaret Beaufort 1511
Wealthiest collage after Trinity in which there was huge rivalry

One case where John’s students invited to play at Trinity, as they passed the front gate they had stones dropped on them, and attacked with flaming brands

Question 12

New court

Answer 12

Early 1800’s
Known as the wedding cake, there are no clocks but clock faces due to low funds

On one occasion student climbed and painted a clock face on

Master found out

So expensive had to start using cheap bricks, which are covered by iconic ivy

Question 13

Kitchen Bridge

Answer 13

1710

Question 14

Maudlin collage

Answer 14

1542, founded by Thomas audley

Was last collage to go mixed gender in 1988

Not popular decision, students wore back wristbands

Maudlin Bridge 1823

Question 15

Bridge of sighs

Answer 15

Named after iconic bridge of sigh in venice, by queen Victoria who had never seen it, and everyone was too scared to tell her they didn’t look alike

Question 16

Erasmus Building

Answer 16

Considered ugliest building on the river
Founded in the 1960’s and is the second youngest building on the river
Designer was named Basil Spence, and he made it to fit in with the surroundings
So the front of the building was made to mirror the bank opposite
Unsurprisingly Basil Spence was a big fan of drugs such as LSD
Was named Erasmus after a famous dutch scholar, who famously came to Cambridge and hated it
Saying the wine tasted like vinegar, and the only thing worse than the food was the weather
The only thing he did like was the Cambridge girls
He died from syphilis a year later