In September 2024 we had a great stay in Cambridge with our friend Jo Coldham. As with Oxford the city is amazingly photogenic. When do you stop taking iconic shots?
In Cambridge we visited several of the major open colleges as well as the spectacular King’s College Chapel.
We stopped off at Moggerhanger House on the way. It was designed in the 1790’s for Godfrey Thornton, the director of the Bank of England and is one of the very few examples of John Soane’s houses to survive – albeit now in desperate need of TLC .
Cambridge
Senate House Lawn
Trinity Lane
Gate of Honour Senate House Passage
Punting on the Cam
The Round Church
The Eagle Pub
This is where Crick & Watson announced their discovery of the structure of DNA to the world. Needless to say it was packed out for the obligatory pint!
Jesus College
Jo’s Dad, Grandfather & others in the Thorne family went to Jesus College. One of them (uncle / grandfather?) was a Wrangler – gaining a First in the Maths Tripos competition.
09 Jesus College The Chimney
The Chimney
10 Jesus College Chapel Court
Chapel Court
11 Jesus College
The First Court
the oldest court in the college
13 Jesus College Barry Flannagan Bronze Horse
Barry Flannagan’s Bronze Horse
in the First Court
12 Jesus College
14 Jesus College Court
15 Jesus College Chapel
Jesus College Chapel
Trinity College
16 Trinity College Great Gate
Trinity College Gate
17 Trinity College Great Court
The Great Court
18 Trinity College Newton’s Tree
Newton’s Tree, Trinity College
This tree was grown from a graft of the one in Newton’s home in Woolsthorpe Manor
which as the story goes, inspired him in developing his Theory of Gravity.
19 Wren Library Trinity College
The Wren Library, Trinity College
20 Trinity College Wren Library (Large)
The Wren Library
20a Newton’s Book Wren Library Trinity College
Newton’s Notebook while an undergraduate
20b Grinling Gibbons Wren Library Trinity College
Grinling Gibbons decoration above the library door
Christ’s College
50 Great Gate Christ’s College
The Great Gate, Christ’s College
51 Christ’s College
Darwin eyeing up Jo
52 First Court Christ’s College
First Court
53 Christ’s College
54 Dining Hall Christ’s College
The Dining Hall
55 Chapel Christ’s College
Christ’s Chapel
Pembroke College
56 Pembroke College A
The Old Court at Pembroke College
57 Pembroke College A
58 Pembroke College Library Court
Library Court
59 Pembroke College Wm Pitt Statue
William Pitt the Younger
looking a bit gaunt
60 Pembroke College Chapel
The Chapel – designed by Christopher Wren
King’s College Chapel
Maybe the most stunning chapel in the world after the Sistine Chapel? It has the largest fan-vaulted roof and the finest example of late Perpendicular Gothic English style (according to Wikipedia). Whatever, it is a stunning building – inside & out.
27 King’s College
26 Front Court King’s College
The Front Court with the Chapel on the left
28 King’s College Chapel
The Rood Screen was erected by Henry VIII to celebrate his marriage to Anne Boleyn
– luckily it was left up after her execution in 1536
29 King’s College Chapel
part of the breathtaking fan vaulting
and the ornate stained glass West Window
30 King’s College Chapel Choir
The Choir
31 King’s College Chapel Choir
32 King’s College Chapel Rubens Magi
The Great East Window
clashing with Ruben’s The Adoration of the Magi
33 King’s College Chapel
The Chantry Chapel of the founder – Henry VI
On the return journey from Cambridge, Ely with its Cathedral made an obvious stop. Shame about the dull weather.
Ely Cathedral
62 Ely Cathedral South Elevation
Ely Cathedral from the South
63 Ely Cathedral
67 Nave Ely Cathedral
The Nave
73 Choir Ely Cathedral A
The Choir
76 Chancel Ely Cathedral A
The Main Altar
77 Side Chapel Ely Cathedral
Ornate side chapel
81 Ely Cathedral Transfiguration
Yet another sighting of Raphael’s Transfiguration!
Near to the Cathedral is Oliver Cromwell’s House – now museum on his life
