Cambridge University

Cambridge is most famous for its historic university. However, Cambridge is far older than the university. The original settlement was north of the river, on Castle Hill. There are signs of pre-Roman activity in the area, but the Romans built the first city. It was a convenient crossing point of the River Cam, on the edge of the marshy fen land. The city was a port because it was the head of navigation of what was then called the River Granta. The area of Magdalen Bridge is still known as Quayside, although it now has only Punts. St Peter's Church, half way up Castle Hill, has pieces of Roman tiles in its walls.

In Anglo Saxon times, there was a solution to Castle Hill as it could be justified, and another near St. Benedict's Church (or St Benet, as it is called in Cambridge). Tower of St Benet's is Saxon, which makes it the oldest building in Cambridge. The city at that time was called Grantabrycge. At one point, came under Danish rule. St. Clemen's Church is near the quay, and this commitment is evident in the Danish settlements. The Great Bridge (later replaced by Magdalene Bridge) can be built by King Offa (756 to 793). It was the last river until King's Lynn. Cambridge had good commercial relations with the Continent and a market and became prosperous. 

The Normans built a castle on Castle Hill in the 1068th This was especially important to consolidate Cambridge Hereward the Wake was defying the Norman rule in Ely. All that remains of the castle is Castle Mound and a few stones in the grounds of Shire Hall, off Castle Hill, belonging to Cambridgeshire County Council. If you climb to the top of the mountain, you get a good view of Cambridge. It is the highest point in Cambridge, and supposedly if you go north in a straight line, there is no higher ground until you reach the North Pole! 

Church of the Holy Sepulcher (usually known in Cambridge as a round church) is one of only four round Norman Kirk in England. They were built by the Knights Templar. The round arches are typical of Norman Kirk architecture. The Leper Chapel in New Market is another Norman chapel. 

By now, the city became known as Grentebrige or Cantebrigge. Eventually the name was Cambridge. However, the river was still called the Granta. Someone thought "Cambridge must bridge over the Cam, so the river should be called Cam instead of Granta," and so the river's name was changed! Upriver, where it flows through Grant Chester, the river is still called the Granta. The Latin name for Cambridge is Cantabrigia, which is why degrees are called Can tab. However, this was not the Roman name for the city, which is unknown. 

Barnwell Priory was founded in 1092, initially on Castle Hill but later moved to the area now known as Riverside, Elizabeth Way Bridge. There is little left now except a church, St Andrews, smaller, and a building called the Cellar's control. There were many other monasteries founded in Cambridge, including St Rhadegund's Nunnery, which gave name to the Maid's Causeway, and later became Jesus College. King John granted a charter to Cambridge in 1201 and the Charter of 1207 is still in possession of the city council. 

The first recorded date connected with Cambridge University was 1209, when some Oxford students moved to Cambridge. Peter House, the first college was founded in the 1284th From this point, different schools were founded. Some combined previous colleges, or took over from the prior (such as St Rhadegund). Corpus Christi was founded by the Guild of Cambridge. As the university grew, trouble broke out between the Town (the people who lived in Cambridge) and gown (students). In the middle of the city was now completely in the circle of the river, although you can still see older houses on the lower part of Castle Hill, such as the Cambridge Folk Museum. Another old building is the School of Pythagoras in St. John's College, the oldest university building in Cambridge still in active use, but originally a town house. 

Henry VIII removed the control of university colleges from the religious organizations that had previously controlled them. There was much to build this time, including most of the gorgeous gate houses, and Kings College Chapel was finished. 

Oliver Cromwell was educated at Sidney Sussex College, and was elected Member of Parliament for Cambridge in 1640 (previously he had been MP for Huntingdon). He became Lord Protector of England, beheaded King Charles I. After Cromwell died, Charles II became king, and Cromwell's head was shown as the head of a traitor. It is now buried in Sidney Sussex College, but they will not say where! Cromwell now has a statue outside the House of Commons in London. 

In 1614, Cambridge needed a new water supply. Thomas Hobson built a dam to bring water from sources at nine Wells near Shelford outside Cambridge in the city center. The channels still run along Trumpington Street, although the main channel has been moved from the market on the corner of Lens lane. Thomas Hobson rented horses, but the tenant would take the horse closest to the door. This led to the phrase "Hobson's Choice," which means "no choice"? 

There were no schools founded from 1594 to 1800, and this was a time of decline, both on campus and the city. But in late Victorian times there were several schools founded, including the first women colleges (although degrees were not awarded to men until 1948). University was developed as a center of scientific research, based at the Cavendish Labs and Downing Site. 

Famous scientists at Cambridge include: 

William Harvey - discovered blood circulation in 1628 

Isaac Newton - worked on gravitation in 1687 

Charles Darwin - the mechanism described for development in 1859 

Ernest Rutherford - split the atom in 1903 

Crick and Watson - discovered the structure of DNA in 1953 

Professor Stephen Hawking - wrote the Brief History of Time in 1988 

However, there have been many famous writers who are associated with Cambridge also. 

 In 1845 the railroad reached Cambridge and Barnwell Enclosure Act of 1806 allowed the development of the city to the south and east. Cambridge is a city in 1951. Twentieth century development was primarily in the north, east and south. The size of the city grew in no time, because of planning restrictions. There are some striking modern architecture in Cambridge, as Judges Institute. Future development of the city under consideration, and the university is expanding westward.