Cambridge (England) -- Pictorial works; University of Cambridge -- Pictorial works
In 1473 Robert Woodlark chancellor of the university and third provost
of King’s, and one of the original scholars of that foundation, built a
small college dedicated to the Glorious Virgin Martyr S. Catherine of
Alexandria, with the object of extending “the usefulness of Church
preaching, and the study of theology, philosophy, and other arts within
the Church of England.” The present red brick structure was erected two
hundred years later, this being the only college except Clare which has
been entirely rebuilt since its foundation. S. Catherine’s, or “Cat’s”
as the
[Illustration: GATEWAY OF ST. CATHERINE’S COLLEGE
This is a view of the old Renaissance Gateway (1679), being the entrance
to the College from Queens’ Lane.] undergraduate familiarly calls it,
is remarkable for the number of bishops it has educated, among whom were
Archbishop Sandys, May of Carlisle, Brownrigg of Exeter, all of whom
were Masters of the college, as was Overall of Norwich who migrated from
S. John’s: John Lightfoot, the orientalist, was its 16th Master, and
Strype (who came here from Jesus), James Shirley the last of the
dramatists,[197] Ray the naturalist, and Addenbrooke the founder of the
well known hospital of that name at Cambridge, were also educated here.
The hall[198] was founded for a master and 3 fellows, and now maintains
6 fellows and 26 scholars.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: Jesus College 1495.]
The next college is a solitary instance of the adaptation of monastic
architecture to collegiate purposes in Cambridge. Alcock Bishop of Ely
and joint lord chancellor with Rotherham obtained from Alexander VI.
(1496/7) the dissolution of the ancient Benedictine nunnery of S.
Rhadegund, and founded there a college which he dedicated to the
_Blessed Virgin Mary, S. John Evangelist, and the glorious Virgin S.
Rhadegund_. Its name of Jesus College records the growing cult of the
name of Jesus, and the substitution was approved by the founder
himself.[199]
If at Queens’ we are in a xv century manor-house, at Jesus we are in a
monastery; and might well imagine ourselves for a moment back in one of
the busiest centres of old Cambridge if we pace the cloisters just
before hall time when the stir is suggestive of the life of a great
monastery. Even the legend “Song Room” over a doorway falls in with the
illusion. James I. said that if he lived in the university he would pray
at King’s, eat at Trinity, and study and sleep at Jesus.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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