Cambridge

City of Cambridge
King's College Chapel, seen from The Backs
King's College Chapel, seen from The Backs

Coat of Arms of the City Council
Cambridge shown within Cambridgeshire
Cambridge shown within Cambridgeshire
Coordinates:
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Constituent country England
Region East of England
Ceremonial county Cambridgeshire
Admin HQ Cambridge City Centre
Founded 1st century
City status 1951
Government
 - Type Shire district, City
 - Governing body Cambridge City Council
 - Mayor Mike Dixon
 - MPs: David Howarth (LD)
Andrew Lansley (C)
Area
 - District & City 44.7 sq mi (115.65 km²)
Population (2007 est.)
 - District & City 120,000 (Ranked 169th)
 - Urban 130,000 (est.)
(Cambridge Urban Area)
 - County 752,900
 - Ethnicity [1]
74.5% White British
1.4% White Irish
9.6% White Other
2.2% Mixed Race
5.2% British Asian
5.0% Chinese and other
2.2% Black British
Time zone Greenwich Mean Time (UTC+0)
Postcode CB
Area code(s) 01223
Website: www.cambridge.gov.uk

The city of Cambridge (pronunciation /ˈkeɪmbrɪdʒ/) is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies about 50 miles (80 km) north of London. It is also at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen.

Cambridge is best known for the University of Cambridge, which includes the renowned Cavendish Laboratory, King's College Chapel, and the Cambridge University Library. The Cambridge skyline is dominated by the last two buildings, along with the chimney of Addenbrooke's Hospital in the far south of the city and St John's College Chapel tower in the north. The pronunciation of the city's name is distinct from that of Cambridge in Gloucestershire, England, which is /ˈkæmbrɪdʒ/.

According to the 2001 United Kingdom census, the City's population was 108,863 (including 22,153 students), and the population of the urban area (which includes parts of South Cambridgeshire district) is estimated to be 130,000.

Contents

History

Prehistory

Settlements have existed around this area of East Anglia since before the Roman Empire. The earliest clear evidence of occupation were the remains of a 3,500-year-old farmstead discovered at the site of Fitzwilliam College[2]. There is further archaeological evidence through the Iron Age, a Belgic tribe having settled on Castle Hill in the 1st century BC.

Roman times

Main article: Duroliponte

The first major development of the area began with the Roman invasion of Britain in about AD 40. Castle Hill made Cambridge a useful place for a military outpost from which to defend the River Cam. It was also the crossing point for the Via Devana which linked Colchester in Essex with the garrisons at Lincoln and the north. This Roman settlement has been identified as Duroliponte.

The settlement remained a regional centre during the 350 years after the Roman occupation, until about AD 400. Roman roads and walled enclosures can still be seen in the area.

Saxon and Viking age

After the Romans had left, Saxons took over the land on and around Castle Hill. Their grave goods have been found in the area. During Anglo-Saxon times Cambridge benefited from good trade links across the otherwise hard-to-travel fenlands. By the 7th century, however, visitors from nearby Ely reported that Cambridge had declined severely. Cambridge is mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle as Grantebrycge.

The arrival of the Vikings in Cambridge was recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in 875. Viking rule, the Danelaw, had been imposed by 878. The Vikings' vigorous trading habits caused Cambridge to grow rapidly. During this period the centre of the town shifted from Castle Hill on the left bank of the river to the area now known as the Quayside on the right bank. After the end of the Viking period the Saxons enjoyed a brief return to power, building St Bene't's [3] church in 1025, which still stands in Bene't Street.

Norman times

In 1068, two years after his conquest of England, William of Normandy built a castle on Castle Hill. Like the rest of the new kingdom, Cambridge fell under the control of the King and his deputies. The distinctive Round Church dates from this period. By Norman times the name of the town had mutated to Grentabrige or Cantebrigge (Grantbridge), while the river that flowed through it was called the Granta.

Over time the name of the town changed to Cambridge, while the river Cam was still known as the Granta — indeed the Upper River (the stretch between the Millpond in Cambridge and Grantchester) is correctly known as the Granta to this day. The Welsh language name of the town remains Caergrawnt (roughly analogous to Grantchester, which is also the name of a village near Cambridge). It was only later that the river became known as the Cam, by analogy with the name Cambridge. The University, formed 1209, uses a Latin adjective cantabrigiensis (often contracted to "Cantab") to mean "of Cambridge", but this is obviously a back-formation from the English name.

Beginnings of the university

In 1209, students escaping from hostile townspeople in Oxford fled to Cambridge and formed a university there. The oldest college that still exists, Peterhouse, was founded in 1284. One of the most impressive buildings in Cambridge, King's College Chapel, was begun in 1446 by King Henry VI. The project was completed in 1515 during the reign of King Henry VIII.

Pembroke College was the third college to be founded in the University of Cambridge

Cambridge University Press originated with a printing licence issued in 1534. Hobson's Conduit, the first project to bring clean drinking water to the town centre, was built in 1610 (by the Hobson of Hobson's choice). Parts of it survive today. Addenbrooke's Hospital was founded in 1766. The railway and station were built in 1845. According to legend, the University dictated their location: well away from the centre of town, so that the possibility of quick access to London would not distract students from their work. However, there is no basis for this in written record.

Despite having a university, Cambridge was not granted its city charter until 1951. Cambridge does not have a cathedral (traditionally a pre-requisite for city status), and falls within the Church of England Diocese of Ely.

Original historical documents relating to the town of Cambridge (as opposed to the university or colleges within Cambridge) are held by Cambridgeshire Archives and Local Studies at the County Record Office Cambridge and at the Cambridgeshire Collection. These records include original registers for the parish churches dating back to the 1530s, local government records, maps, photographs, and records of some businesses, schools and charities.

Cambridge today

The market in the centre of Cambridge, with Great St Mary's Church in the background · more
Trinity Street, St John's Street and the Main Gate of St John's College with the tower of the college's chapel looming in the background

Cambridge is now one of East Anglia's major settlements, along with Norwich, Ipswich and Peterborough. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the size of the city was greatly increased by several large council estates planned to hold London overspill. The biggest impact has been on the area north of the river, which is now home to the estates of Arbury, East Chesterton and King's Hedges, while there are many smaller estates to the south of the city.

Drawing on its links with the University, the Cambridge area today is sometimes referred to as Silicon Fen, due to the growth of high tech businesses and technology incubators that have sprung up in the series of science parks and other developments in and around the city. Such companies include CSR, world leader in Bluetooth chips, Acorn Computers (now ARM) and Sinclair. Microsoft chose to locate its Microsoft Research UK offices in a University of Cambridge technology park, separate from the main Microsoft UK campus in Reading, Berkshire. Cambridge was also the home of Pye Limited famous in the last century for early wireless and TV sets. In later years Pye evolved into several other companies including Pye Telecommunications (now Sepura, famous for TETRA radio equipment). Another major business is Marshall Aerospace located on the eastern edge of the city. Such businesses and their early stage precursors are well networked within the Cambridge Network.

The University was joined by the larger part of Anglia Ruskin University, and the educational reputation has led to other bodies (such as The Open University in the East of England) basing themselves in the city.

Governance

Local government

See also: Cambridge local elections

Cambridge is a non-metropolitan district served by a city council. The city council's headquarters are in the Guildhall [4], a large building in the market square. City councillors elect a mayor annually. Cambridge has had a mayor since 1213.[5]. Cambridge is also served by Cambridgeshire County Council.

For electoral purposes the city is divided into the following wards: Abbey, Arbury, Castle, Cherry Hinton, Coleridge, East Chesterton, King's Hedges, Market, Newnham, Petersfield, Queen Edith's, Romsey, Trumpington and West Chesterton.

The political composition of the city council is currently:[6]

The Liberal Democrats have controlled the city council since 2000.

Westminster

The parliamentary constituency of Cambridge covers most of the city. David Howarth (Liberal Democrat) was elected Member of Parliament (MP) at the 2005 general election, winning the seat from the sitting MP, Labour's Anne Campbell. One area of town, the Queen Edith's ward[7] — lies in the South Cambridgeshire constituency, whose MP is Andrew Lansley (Conservative), first elected in 1997. The city had previously elected a Labour MP from 1992 to 2005 and prior to this, usually elected a Conservative after the Second World War. However, the Conservatives came third in the last General Election and have seen their share of the vote fall over the past 20 years.

The University used to have a seat in the House of Commons, Sir Isaac Newton being one of the most notable holders. The Cambridge University constituency was abolished under 1948 legislation, and ceased at the dissolution of Parliament for the 1950 general election, along with the other university constituencies.

Geography

Districts

In 2001 the area inside the inner ring road was divided into eight areas, called Kite, Regent, Downing, Queens, Jesus, Quayside, Brunswick and Fitzroy.[8] Some of these names (e.g. Kite[9]) are historic and well-established. Outside this, areas of the city include Arbury, Chesterton, Cherry Hinton, King's Hedges, Newnham, Petersfield, Romsey Town and Trumpington.

Transport

Roads

Because of its rapid growth in the 20th century, Cambridge has a congested road network. Several major roads intersect at Cambridge. The M11 motorway from east London terminates here. The A14 (formerly A604 and A45) east–west trunk route skirts the northern edge of the city. This is a major freight route connecting the port of Felixstowe on the east coast with the Midlands, North Wales, the west coast and Ireland. The A14 is often congested, particularly the section between Huntingdon and Cambridge where the east–west traffic is merged with the A1 to M11 north–south traffic on a 2-lane dual carriageway. The A10, a former Roman road from north London, passes round the city on its way to Ely and King's Lynn. Other roads connect the city with Bedford, St Neots, Newmarket and Colchester.

The city has a ring road about 2 km in diameter, inside which there are traffic restrictions which have successfully improved conditions for pedestrians, cyclists and bus users, and reduced congestion. It has a well developed bus service including five Park and Ride sites encouraging motorists to park near the city's edge, three of which (in Trumpington, Madingley Road and Newmarket Road) operate 7 days a week.[10]

Rail

The front of Cambridge Station

Cambridge railway station was built in 1845 with a platform designed to take two full-length trains, one of the longest in the country. Cambridge has direct rail links to King's Cross (via Hitchin and the East Coast Main Line) and Liverpool Street (via the West Anglia Main Line) stations in London. There is a direct shuttle service to London King's Cross every half hour during off peak hours, taking only 45 minutes to reach London. Peak hour trains to King's Cross all have additional stops, and take between 55 and 65 minutes. It is also linked to King's Lynn and Ely (via the Fen Line), Norwich (via the Breckland Line), Leicester, Birmingham, Ipswich and to London Stansted Airport. The important UK rail hub of Peterborough is also within reach of Cambridge. The railway service connecting Cambridge and Oxford, known as the Varsity Line, was discontinued in 1968.

Air

The city's airport is known as Marshall Airport Cambridge UK (formerly Cambrdge City Airport) and is owned by Marshall Aerospace. Although the runway can accommodate an unladen Boeing 747 or MD-11 and ScotAirways used to make scheduled flights to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, there are no regular scheduled passenger services in 2008 and the airport is used mainly by business, leisure and training flights.[11][12][13] In 2004 a charter service to Jersey was operated by Aurigny Air Services using Saab 340 turboprop aircraft. A dealer in fibreglass-moulded light monoplanes is also based at the airport. Removal of Marshalls to a site away from the city, with development of the airport site for housing, is a possibility over the next 5-10 years.[14]

The London airports at Luton and Stansted are both within 30 miles (50 km) of Cambridge.

Cycling

As a university town lying on fairly flat ground and with traffic congestion, Cambridge has a large number of cyclists. Many residents also prefer cycling to driving in the narrow, busy streets, giving the city the highest level of cycle use in the UK.[15] According to the 2001 census, 25% of residents travelled to work by bicycle. A few roads within the city are adapted for cycling, including separate traffic lights for cycle lanes and cycle contraflows on streets which are otherwise one-way; the city also benefits from parks which have shared use paths. There are, however, no separate cycle paths within the city centre. Despite the high levels of cycling, expenditure on cycling infrastructure is around the national average of 0.3% of the transport budget. There are a few cycle routes in the surrounding countryside and the city is now linked to the National Cycle Network. The main organisation campaigning to improve conditions for cyclists in Cambridge is the Cambridge Cycling Campaign.[16]

Bike theft in the city is a problem, with over 3000 bicycles reported stolen between April 2005 and March 2006. The actual number is believed to be higher as many thefts are not reported to the police.[17]

Guided bus

Cambridgeshire Guided Busway, set to be the world's longest guided busway, is under construction and will pass through Cambridge.[18] It will run on the road from Huntingdon to St Ives, then along a disused railway line to north Cambridge, where it rejoins the road, to the city's railway station from where it will be guided to Addenbrooke's Hospital and Trumpington.[19] The scheme, budgeted at £116.2 million, is scheduled to open in early 2009. [20] The scheme has been heavily criticised by campaigners who believe that the route would be better served by a rail link.[21]

Culture

Sport

Punting on the River Cam is a popular recreation in Cambridge

Football

Cambridge played a unique role in the invention of modern football as the game's first set of rules were drawn up by members of the university in 1848. The Cambridge Rules were first played in Parker's Piece and had a "defining influence on the 1863 Football Association rules."[22].

The city is home to Cambridge United F.C., who played in the Football League at the Abbey Stadium from 1970 to 2005, when they were relegated to Conference National. When relegation became inevitable the club was placed in administration with substantial debts, but it emerged from administration in time for the 2005–06 season. The club's biggest success came in the early 1990s, with two successive promotions, two successive FA Cup quarter-final appearances, a run to the Football League Cup quarter-finals, and reaching the brink of promotion to the new Premier League.

The city's other football club Cambridge City F.C. play in the Southern Football League Premier Division at the City Ground in Chesterton. Histon, just north of Cambridge, is home to Conference National side Histon.

Rugby

Cambridge's most successful sports team over recent years is its rugby union club. After three successive promotions they managed to survive their debut season in National Division Two 2006/07. The club's home ground is at West Renault Park on Granchester Road in the south west corner of the city. Cambridge Eagles rugby league team play in the National Conference League East Section during the summer months, often drawing on rugby union players keen to continue playing rugby throughout the year.

Other sports

As well as being the home of the Cambridge Rules, Parker's Piece played an important part in the playing career of W. G. Grace. Cambridge is also home to two Real Tennis courts out of just 42 in the world at Cambridge University Real Tennis Club.[23] British American Football League club Cambridgeshire Cats play at Coldham's Common.

Motorcycle speedway racing took place at the Greyhound Stadium in Newmarket Road in 1939. It is not known if this venue operated in other years. The team raced as Newmarket as the meetings were organised by the Newmarket Motorcycle Club.

Varsity sports

Cambridge is also known for its university sporting events against Oxford, especially the rugby union Varsity Match and the Boat Race. These are followed by people across the globe, many of whom have no connection to the institutions themselves.

Theatre

Cambridge's main theatre is the Arts Theatre, a venue with 666 seats in the town centre.[24] The theatre often has touring shows, as well as those by local companies.

There are many amateur theatre groups in Cambridge, often producing plays of a very high standard. The ADC Theatre is managed by the University of Cambridge, and typically has 3 shows a week during term time. The Mumford Theatre is part of Anglia Ruskin University, and hosts shows by both student and non student groups. There are also a number of venues within the colleges.

Cambridge in literature and film

Music

Popular music

Most notable of the bands that formed in Cambridge are Pink Floyd, the band's former songwriter guitarist and vocalist Syd Barrett was born and lived in the city. He and other founder member Roger Waters went to school together at Cambridgeshire High School for Boys and David Gilmour was also a Cambridge resident and attended the nearby Perse School. Other bands who formed in Cambridge include Henry Cow, Katrina and the Waves, The Soft Boys,[27] Ezio[28] and The Broken Family Band.[29] Solo artists Boo Hewerdine[30] and Robyn Hitchcock[31] are from Cambridge, as are Drum and bass artists (and brothers) Nu:Tone and Logistics. Matthew Bellamy, lead singer of rock band Muse was born in the city.[32] Singer-songwriter Nick Drake and Manchester music mogul Tony Wilson, the founder of Factory Records, were both educated at the University of Cambridge.

Festivals and events

Public services

Addenbrooke's Hospital

Cambridge is served by Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, with several smaller medical centres around the city and a general hospital at Addenbrookes. Addenbrookes is a learning and teaching hospital, one of the largest in the United Kingdom, and functions as a centre for medical research.

Population

In the 2001 Census (held during University term), 89.44% of Cambridge residents identified themselves as white, compared with a national average of 92.12%.[35] Within the University, 84% of undergraduates and 80% of post-graduates identify as white (including overseas students).[36]

Cambridge has a much higher than average proportion of people in the highest paid professional, managerial or administrative jobs (32.6% vs. 23.5%)[37] and a much lower than average proportion of manual workers (27.6% vs. 40.2%).[38] In addition, a much higher than average proportion of people have a high level qualification (e.g. degree, HND, qualified doctor), (41.2% vs. 19.9%).[39]

Historical population

Historical population of Cambridge
Year 1801 1811 1821 1831 1841 1851 1861 1871 1881 1891
Population 10,087 11,108 14,142 20,917 24,453 27,815 26,361 30,078 35,363 36,983
Year 1901 1911 1921 1931 1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001
Population 38,379 40,027 59,264 66,789 81,500 95,527 99,168 87,209 107,496 108,863

Census: Regional District 1801-1901 [40] Civil Parish 1911-1961 [41] District 1971-2001 [42]

Religion

Great St Mary's Church marks the centre of Cambridge, while the Senate House on the left is the centre of the University. Gonville and Caius College is in the background.

Cambridge has an active Christian population and many churches, some of which form a significant part of the city's architectural landscape.

A Cambridge-based family and youth organisation, Romsey Mill, had its centre re-dedicated in 2007 by the Archbishop of York, and is quoted as an example of best practice in a study[43] into social inclusion by the East of England Regional Assembly.

Cambridge falls into the Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia.

Cambridge has two synagogues: an Orthodox synagogue and Jewish student centre on Thompson's Lane, operated by the Cambridge University Jewish Society, and the Beth Shalom Reform synagogue. The Abu Bakr Jamia Islamic Centre on Mawson Road serves the city's community of around 4,000 Muslims until a planned new mosque is built.[44]. A Buddhist centre was opened in the former Barnwell Theatre on Newmarket Road in 1998.[45] In 2005 local Hindus began fundraising to build a shrine at the Bharat Bhavan Indian cultural centre off Mill Road[46], where Hindu and Hare Krishna groups conduct worship.[47]

University

Great St Mary's Church has the status of being the "University Church".[48] Many of the University colleges contain chapels that hold services according to the rites and ceremonies of the Church of England, while the chapel of St Edmund's College is Roman Catholic.[49]

The city also has a number of theological colleges for training clergy for ordination into a number of denominations, with affiliations to both the University of Cambridge and Anglia Ruskin University.

Other information

Cambridge is twinned with:

See also

Panoramic photo gallery

Trinity Street
King's Parade
Silver Street
Quayside

References

  1. "Resident Population Estimates by Ethnic Group (Percentages)". National Statistics.
  2. "Bronze Age site is found in city", BBC News, 17 January 2008 retrieved 1 November 2008
  3. The Index
  4. Cambridge City Council: Council buildings information: Guildhall information
  5. "The mayors of Cambridge". Cambridge City Council. Retrieved on 2008-08-13.
  6. "Councillors". Cambridge City Council. Retrieved on 2008-08-13.
  7. Election maps - Ordnance Survey
  8. Cambridge Cycling Campaign » Newsletter 34 (February/March 2001)
  9. The Kite
  10. http://www.parkandride.net/cambridge/cambridge_frameset.shtml Cambridge sites at the National Park and Ride Directory
  11. [1] "Cambridge Airport"
  12. [2] "Cambridge Flying Club"
  13. [3]"Cambridge Aero Club"
  14. [http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/cn_business_companies/displayarticle.asp?id=148868 "At Cambridge East, centred on the airport, there are plans for 12,000 homes - if and when Marshalls relocate." Cambridge Evening News, "Shaping the Future of a Growing City", 26 June 2007 retrieved 9 August 2008
  15. http://www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/SearchRes.asp?term=KS15&btnSubmit=Search UK Census 2001
  16. Cambridge Cycling Campaign
  17. "Raids 'shockwave' for bicycle theft gangs". Cambridge Evening News (27 July 2006).
  18. [4] Secretary Of State Celebrates Start Of Works On Guided Busway
  19. [5] Cambridgeshire Guided Busway
  20. [6] Guided Busway leaflet
  21. "Campaigners still hope to stop the guided bus". Cambridge Evening News (2006-08-25). Retrieved on 2008-10-29.
  22. "Cambridge… the birthplace of football?!". bbc.co.uk.
  23. Cambridge University Real Tennis Club
  24. Cambridge Arts Theatre Website
  25. Graham Chainey (1985, 1995). A Literary History of Cambridge. Cambridge. ISBN 0-907115-25-X. 
  26. Martin Garrett (2004). Cambridge: a Cultural and Literary History. Oxford. ISBN 1-902669-79-7. 
  27. The Soft Boys at Allmusic
  28. Ezio at Allmusic
  29. "The Broken Family Band Biography". www.xfm.co.uk. Retrieved on 2008-08-13.
  30. Boo Hewerdine at Allmusic
  31. Robyn Hitchcock at Allmusic
  32. Matthew Bellamy at the Internet Movie Database
  33. http://www.cambridgebeerfestival.com/summer/images/34th_poster.png
  34. "Cambridge Film Festival". www.festivalfocus.org. Retrieved on 2008-07-21.
  35. Office For National Statistics 2001 Census (Ethnic group, Cambridge local authority)
  36. University of Cambridge Fact Sheet: Ethnicity, retrieved 17 January 2008
  37. ONS 2001 Census (Approximated Social Grade - Workplace Population, Cambridge local authority)
  38. Ibid.
  39. ONS 2001 Census (Qualifications, Cambridge local authority)
  40. "Cambridge Civil Parish". Vision of Britain. Retrieved on 2008-07-26.
  41. "Cambridge Civil Parish". Vision of Britain. Retrieved on 2008-07-26.
  42. "Cambridge Civil Parish". Vision of Britain. Retrieved on 2008-07-26.
  43. EERA social inclusion policy, ch. 3
  44. "Mosque site hunt is over", Cambridge Evening News 6 May 2008
  45. [7]
  46. "Shrine Appeal by Hindu Group", Cambridge Evening News, 19 October 2005 retrieved 9 August 2008
  47. [8]
  48. "St. Mary's University Church, Cambridge". www.sacred-destinations.com. Retrieved on 2008-10-17.
  49. "Chapel". St Edmund's College, Cambridge (2008-05-12). Retrieved on 2008-10-17.
  50. 50.0 50.1 "Twinning". Cambridge City Council. Retrieved on 2008-07-29.

External links