Jesus Lane is a historical street in central Cambridge, England.[1][2] The street links with the junction of Bridge Street and Sidney Street to the west. To the east is a roundabout. To the south is King Street, running parallel with Jesus Lane and linking at the roundabout. The road continues east as Maid's Causeway and then Newmarket Road east out of Cambridge. To the north is Victoria Avenue between Jesus Green to the west and Midsummer Common to the east. To the south is Short Road, quickly leading into Emmanuel Road past Christ's Pieces.
Jesus Lane is an ancient route that gave access to the nunnery of St Mary and St Radegund, on which Jesus College, Cambridge is founded.[1][3] It crossed the King's Ditch. Little Trinity on the lane is one of the best domestic buildings in Cambridge.
Jesus College is located on the north side of the street, hence the name. Sidney Sussex College is to the south of Jesus Lane on the western end, fronting onto Sidney Street.
Also located on Jesus Lane are Wesley House, Methodist theological college (or seminary), on the north side and Westcott House, a Church of England theological college, on the south side.
A mediæval church, All Saints Jewry, originally stood in St John's Street, to the west of Jesus Lane. It was rebuilt in 1820 and then demolished in 1865.[4] All Saints, designed by the Victorian architect G. F. Bodley and built 1863–70, is now located in Jesus Lane. It is one of the best examples of Victorian churches in the area.[1]
The Pitt Club, a University of Cambridge club, has premises at 7a Jesus Lane next door to Primo Cycles and Pizza Express. The neoclassical building was originally designed as Victorian Roman Baths in 1863 by Sir Matthew Digby Wyatt. The baths were short-lived, open only between February and December 1863. After the closure, the building was auctioned off and bought by its own architect. He rented out half of the building to the Pitt Club, and the other half to Orme's Billiards Rooms.[5][6] Later, the club bought the entire building, and for much of the 20th century, the club occupied the whole of the building. In October 1997, the club sold a 25-year leasehold on the ground floor of its building to the Pizza Express chain. Since then, the club has only occupied the first floor of the building.[7][8]