Cambridge (England) -- History; University of Cambridge -- History
(1100-1135) addressed to Henry, Bishop of
Ely (1109-1131), and attested by an unnamed Chancellor and by Miles of
Gloucester and by Richard Basset. The main object of the King's writ
seems to be to make "his borough of Cambridge" the one "port" and
emporium of the shire. "I forbid"--so runs the writ--"that any boat
shall ply at any hithe in Cambridgeshire save at the hithe of my borough
at Cambridge, nor shall barges be laden save in the borough of
Cambridge, nor shall any take toll elsewhere, but only there."
Numerous narrow lanes, all now vanished, with the exception of John's
Lane, Gareth Hostel Lane, and Silver Street, led down from High Street
to the quays. The town was intersected by three main streets. From the
Great Bridge ran the streets already mentioned as following the line of
the old Roman Way (the Via Devana). From this old roadway, at a point
opposite the Round Church, there branched off the High Street--now
Trinity Street and King's Parade--leading to Trumpington Gate. Parallel
to the High Street, and between it and the river, ran Milne Street,
leading from the King's Mill at the south end of the town, and
continuing northwards to a point about the site of the existing sun-dial
in Trinity Great Court, where it joined a cross-street leading into the
High Street. Parts of Milne Street still exist in the lanes which run
past the fronts of Queen's College and Trinity Hall. In mediæval times
the entrance gateways of six colleges opened into it--King's Hall,
Michael House, Trinity Hall, King's College, S. Catharine's Hall, and
Queen's College. Of the most ancient church of the town, that of S.
Benedict, we have already spoken. Of the possibly contemporary church of
S. Peter by the Castle, the only architectural remains of any importance
now existing are a rich late Norman doorway and the bowl of an ancient
font. The tower and spire belong to the fourteenth century. The rest of
the building is entirely modern. Bricks, however, said to be Roman,
appear to have been used in the new walls. Similarly of the other two
ancient Castle-end churches, All Saints by the Castle, and S. Giles. Of
the former nothing now remains and its actual site is doubtful, for the
parish attached to it has been united with S. Giles ever since the time
when in the fourteenth century the Black Death left it almost without
inhabitants. Of the Church of S. Giles there remains the ancient
chancel arch of late Saxon or early Norman character (the familiar
long-and-short work seems to date it about the middle of the eleventh
century), and the doorway of the nave, which have been rebuilt in the
large new church opened in 1875.
[Illustration: The Abbey House]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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