Cambridge University

Eight Hundred Years of History and Academic Achievement

Sep 23, 2009

Cambridge University has a world renowned reputation for its academic achievement. But ifs founding occurred almost by chance, as the result of a murder.

Students come from across the country as well as from much further afield in order to study at Cambridge University. Not only does it have a world wide reputation for academic achievement, the University also has a wealth of treasure on display in its museums and collections.

Cambridge, an Anglo Saxon Town

The bridge, from which the town and Uiversity takes its name has been spanning the river Cam, a tributary of the river Ouse since 875. Originally the river was called the Granta, but this was changed when the Anglo Saxon town Grantebrycge was renamed. (Grantebrycge is the Anglo Saxon name for Cambridge and is mentioned in the Anglo Saxon Chronicle which is a collection of annals written in old English detailing Anglo Saxon history). The town, or city of Cambridge as it is now, has long been a trading centre and is mentioned in the Doomsday book. The original copy of the Doomsday book is held at the National Archive Office in Kew. It was commission by William the Conqueror in 1805 and completed in December 1806.

The town had a number of churches and religious institutions as well as 2 hospitals. One was for the treatment of lepers, (the Leper Chapel of St. Mary Magdalene which was part of the hospital and dates back to the reign of Henry I still stands today). And the other was for the treatment of the poor.

The origins of the University, according to Roger of Wendover, who was a monk and English chronicler of the 13th century, could be traced back to a crime committed by 2 Oxford scholars. The men were convicted of the murder of a woman and hung. In protest to their punishment Oxford University went into voluntary suspension leaving the scholars to look for other institutions at which to continue their studies. Many made their way to a school in Cambridge and the embryonic university was founded.

Facilities at the University

Academically, Cambridge University has been consistently ranked as one of the top 5 universities in the world and by 2008 had produced 83 Nobel Laureates. As a collegiate university, Cambridge is made up of self governing and independent colleges with their own property and income. The faculties are responsible for ensuring lectures are given, arranging seminars, conducting research and determining syllabi.

Cambridge University has 31 colleges of which 3 only admit women; these are Murray Edwards, Newnham and Lucy Cavendish. The rest are mixed with Darwin being the first college to change its admittance criteria to admit women as well as men.

The University has over 150 departments, faculties, schools, syndicates and other institutions. A school, of which there are 6 at the University, is a broad administrative grouping of related subjects. These are:

In addition to the long list of Nobel Laureates associated with the University, many important scientific discoveries have been made by former alumni, these include;

The University of Cambridge is hosting a number of events throughout 2009 to mark its 800th anniversary , both as a University and institute for research and development.

The copyright of the article Cambridge University in UK/Irish History is owned by Lynda Osborne. Permission to republish Cambridge University in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.