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Cambridge City and outskirts
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Cambridge is renowned as one of England's two great
university towns, steeped in history and tradition.
It has been described as one of the most beautiful
cities in Britain. The city takes its name from the
crossing of the River Cam. Here, at the meeting of dense
forests to the south and marshy Fens to the north, was
the lowest reliable fording place of the River Cam, or
Granta.
In the first century BC an Iron Age Belgic tribe built a
settlement on what is now Castle Hill. In the first
century AD, the Romans took over the site and it became
the crossing point for the Via Devana which linked
Colchester with the legions in Lincoln and beyond.
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The Saxons followed, then the Normans under William the
Conqueror, who raised a castle on a steep mound as a
base for fighting the Saxon rebel, Hereward the Wake,
deep in the Fens at Ely. The motte of William's castle
still stands and Ely Cathedral is visible from the top
on a clear day.
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The first college,
Peterhouse, was founded by Hugh de Balsham,
Bishop of Ely, in 1284. Clare, Pembroke,
Gonville, Trinity Hall and Corpus Christi were
established in the first half of the fourteenth
century.
Ten more colleges were
founded during the fifteenth and sixteenth
centuries, including Christ's, King's, Queens',
Jesus, St. John's, Trinity, and Emmanuel.
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Trinity College
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As well as the colleges, the university established fine
buildings including the 14th century Old Schools, the
18th century Senate House and more modern buildings like
the University Library and the Fitzwilliam Museum.
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King's Collage Chapel & Clare
College
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The
colleges contain the great architectural
treasures of Cambridge. Founded by kings,
queens bishops, nobles, guilds and rich
widows, they attracted powerful patrons and
large endowments of land and money.
Such wealth allowed the colleges to use the
best architects, including Sir Christopher
Wren, Powell and Moya - to create beautiful
buildings that reflect perfectly 700 years
of British architectural heritage. It is a
heritage symbolised by the soaring windows
and fan vaults of King's College Chapel. |
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Today Cambridge is a thriving city of some 100,000
people. Its commercial heart is surrounded by fine
buildings and green open spaces. The Backs, the
famous grass-covered banks of the River Cam, are
carpeted with crocus and daffodils in Spring.
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This is the Cambridge of
Brooke, Byron, Newton and Rutherford, of the
summer idyll of punts, bumps', cool willows, and
May Balls.
In Summer you can take a
punt along the river and enjoy the architectural
glories of the riverside colleges.
At King's College Chapel,
the best known of all Cambridge buildings, you
may be lucky enough to hear the world-famous
choir.
In Autumn and Winter
there are fewer visitors and the City is less
crowded, but the presence of the students adds
to the special atmosphere. |
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Punting on the
River Cam
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Cambridge has a wealth of museums and galleries covering
a wide range of interests. The Corn Exchange, Junction,
Arts Theatre and other venues provide programmes
covering all aspects of entertainment. The Cambridge
Folk Festival is held on the last weekend in July.
Cambridge has many good shops. As well as department and
well-known chain stores, it has many local and
specialist shops and is, of course, famous for its
bookshops.
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In the area surrounding Cambridge there are a large
number of attractions and places of interest. Visit
Constable Country or the beautiful wool towns of
Suffolk. Ely Cathedral and Bury St Edmunds are popular,
as are the stately homes of Audley End, Anglesey Abbey
and Wimpole Hall. Newmarket, famous for racing, houses
the National Horseracing Museum, and to the south of the
City at Duxford is the Imperial War Museum. For those
who enjoy the countryside there are bird reserves and
natural fenland preservation areas such as Wicken Fen.
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Tourist
Information Centres:
CAMBRIDGE
Wheeler Street, Cambridge, CB2 3QB
Tel: 01223 464732 Fax: 01223
457549
E-mail:
tourism@cambridge.gov.uk
Useful
Links:
Tourism information for the rest of Cambridgeshire -
www.touristnetuk.com
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CAMBRIDGE SHOPMOBILITY
Grand Arcade Car Park, Grafton Shopping
Centre, Cambridge
Tel: 01223
457452 / 461858
E-mail:
jean.white@cambridge.gov.uk
Web:
www.cambridge.gov.uk
Free wheelchair loan
service and other services available for
disabled visitors/tourists.
For further details visit
our website.
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