Cambridge Capers

Today's destination is the City of Cambridge. We drive from Ely to return the car, dropping our bags at the Novatel on the way. The hotel is right next to Cambridge North Station which will be perfect for our next train journey.

We walk from the car hire place into Cambridge hoping for a day wandering in the grounds in at least a few of the colleges. My particular desire is to visit again the wonderful Wren Library at Trinity College. Jo is hoping to find some hint of Michaelhouse, the old Cambridge College depicted in Susanna Gregory's books about the fictional medieval amateur detective, Matthew Bartholomew, a physician who is a master at the College of Michaelhouse at Cambridge University. Henry VIII founded Trinity College, Cambridge in 1540 and to avoid the expense of purchasing more land and buildings for his new project, he commandeered Michaelhouse and another college called King's Hall. Nothing remains of Michaelhouse today so it's good that it lives on in Susanna Gregory's books.

Trinity College, Cambridge

It seems that we're both destined for disappointment today, me because the Wren Library is closed to visitors and Jo because the only remnant of the days of Michaelhouse to be found are St Michael's Lane (now Trinity Lane) where the scholars would have processed to St Michael's Church, which does still exist as  the Michaelhouse cafe and gift shop on Trinity Street.

St Michael's Lane (now Trinity Lane)

We find Trinity Lane and try to imagine those long-ago scholars making their way to worship at st Michael's. We have a paved surface to walk on but they probably walked in dust in the summer and mud in the winter. We make our way down the lane to St Michael's, now the Michaelhouse Cafe. Where once the scholars would have partaken of Communion bread and wine in this place, the closest we can come is coffee and scones.

St Michael' Church (now Michaelhouse Cafe)

We walk along the Backs, the road that runs behind the colleges, and ask the porter at the gates of Trinity if the Wren Library is open and if we can walk to the grounds. This is when we discover the Library is closed to the public. It's a pity because that was one of the highlights of my visit to Cambridge in 2010. We can however walk up the long drive and cross the River Cam and stroll around the riverbank. Punts full of tourists glide by with competent punters keeping up a running commentary as they pole the punt smoothly along the river.

Punting on the River Cam

We are within earshot of this commentary as a punt comes abreast of St John's New Court on the west bank of the Cam opposite Trinity. We look up to the clock tower of St John's as the punter points out that the clock tower does not, in fact, have a clock. By George! He's right. There is a perfect circle where the clock should be, but no clock. We now have to keep pace with the punt as the punter tells of the mystery of the missing clock face. It seems that there have been many theories proffered since the completion of St John's New Court in 1831, but no one actually knows why the clock faces were never installed. The likely explanation seems to me to be a lack of funds at the time. No expense seems to have been spared on this Gothic Revival extravaganza (dubbed 'The Wedding Cake' by all and sundry) so it's hard to credit that they couldn't stump up the cost of four clock faces and associated workings. At least it gives the punters something to talk about, I guess.

The 'no clock' clock tower of St John's New Court seen across the Cam

The only thing that is 'open' in Cambridge is King's College Chapel. The entry to King's is covered in scaffolding which is always disappointing. You find yourself saying 'why couldn't they do this next year, or some other year when I'm not here!'

King's College, Cambridge

We pay up, enter the quadrangle and make our way to the chapel. 'Chapel' is somewhat of a misnomer as this place is more a cathedral than a chapel. Its construction was begun in 1446 under the patronage of King Henry VI. Work progress through the reign of several kings until finally completed by Henry VIII in 1515, although the spectacular stained glass windows would not be completed for another sixteen years.

King's College Chapel, Cambridge

The chapel is the toast of Cambridge, its fan vaulting the largest in the world and its architecture an outstanding example of late Perpendicular Gothic English design.

King's College Chapel, Cambridge

King's College Chapel, Cambridge

The elaborate timber rood screen which houses the organ and divides the anti-chapel from the choir was constructed between 1532 and 1536 to celebrate the marriage of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. I wonder if she got to see it before her untimely departure from this world in 1536.

Rood Screen, King's College Chapel

Detail of Rood Screen with Henry & Anne's initials

Leaving the chapel we wander through the King's College wildflower meadow down to the Cam. Everywhere we go we find these rough patches of what looks like unkempt garden beds, but are in fact places set aside for bees and other insects. Some of these spaces look better than others, having an abundance of flowers and not a lot of 'weeds'. Some have the reverse which is not so easy on the eye of a gardener.

Wildflower Meadow behind King's College Chapel

Time has slipped away and our day in Cambridge has flown by, we set off to walk back to the station which is, inconveniently, a mile away from the city centre. This came about when the city fathers at the time of the railway's arrival decided that some distance between the colleges and the station would discourage students from taking the train to the flesh-pots of London for a night of making whoopee! No wonder bikes are so popular in Cambridge.

Photos (mostly) courtesy of Jo Mitchell.