Queens’ College, Cambridge


The foundation of the College was proposed by Andrew Dokett, a local Cambridge man but the charter granted to him in 1446 was transferred by King Henry VI to his Queen Margaret of Anjou who founded the College in 1448. Only the older parts of the College were constructed before the Queen died but the College acquired a new patron and benefactor in 1465 in Queen Elizabeth Woodville and the College thus owes its foundation to two queens and is Queens’ College not Queen’s College. Its buildings date from the 15th century to the 20th century and reflect a wide range of architectural features. The ‘Mathematical Bridge’ which links two parts of the college across the River Cam is occasionally credited to Isaac Newton but it was actually built in 1749, long after his death, by James Essex to a design by William Etheridge and has been rebuilt many times and strengthened with bolts at the joints. Among the alumni of Queens’ College are the humanist theologian Desiderius Erasmus, the actor Stephen Fry and Michael Foale the British astronaut. The view is from the Silver Street bridge over the River Cam; the nearest part of the College was designed by James Essex and built between 1756 and 1760. The ‘Mathematical Bridge’ is to the left. The picture was drawn by R B Harraden Jnr and etched by Elizabeth Byrne.


Size: 7864px × 5400px
Location: Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England
Photo credit: © Cameni Images / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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