Cambridge and Its CollegesThompson, A. Hamilton (Alexander Hamilton)
History
Cambridge and Its Colleges
Thompson, A. Hamilton (Alexander Hamilton)
University of Cambridge
During the eighteenth century Bentley effected his famous alterations in
the Lodge and Chapel, and Essex made the additional changes to which I
have referred. No actual addition was made to the college until, in 1823,
William Wilkins began his court in the revived Gothic taste, adjoining
Nevile’s Court on the south. George IV. proved a benefactor to the extent
of £1000, and the official name of the new building is for this reason
King’s Court. It was finished about six years later. Cambridge, as we
have seen, has a long tale to tell of Georgian Gothic, and the New Court
of Trinity is a very typical example of that period. It nevertheless is
a far more pleasant building than Wilkins’ court at Corpus or Rickman’s
at St John’s, although there is not much to praise in it. To a much
better period of modern Gothic belong Mr Beresford Hope’s improvements in
the Lodge and the Master’s Courts, usually known as Whewell’s Court (and
by more familiar names), which are opposite the great gate of Trinity,
and are one of the thoroughfares between Trinity Street and Sidney
Street. Dr Whewell built this court at his own expense, with Salvin
as his architect. Outside, it is gloomy but imposing. The darkness of
its interior was till quite recently almost to be felt; but now (1898)
they are being refaced, and the depressing rooms are being made into
comfortable and picturesque habitations.
The grounds of Trinity are spacious and pleasant, and the famous
lime-walk is one of the wonders of Cambridge. When Dr Nevile built his
court, he filled up a branch of the Cam which ran northwards from Garret
Hostel Bridge and rejoined the main stream at the north-west corner of
the present Library. The bridge which connects the lime-walk with the
new court was built by Essex, and is his best work in Cambridge, if that
is any praise.
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Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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