Interesting Facts and Figures about Cambridge

Cambridge is the UKs second city of learning, but the first in your hearts (unless you went to Oxford, of course). Prehistoric
settlements solidified with the coming of the Romans who set up a fort in the area. After they abandoned Britain in the 5th
Century, the Saxons later established a settlement there they called Grantebrychge. With the establishment of Cambridge
University allegedly by fleeing Oxford scholars, the city transformed into one of the premiere places of higher education in
the country. Of course, these tidbits are only some of the interesting facts about Cambridge.

Winning the Prize

The Nobel Prize, in fact. Individuals associated with Cambridge University have won 89 Nobel Prizes in all six disciplines
covering physics, chemistry, peace, literature, physiology, and medicine. Cambridge also claims the most Nobel Prizes in
physics at 29 in total. The universitys total prize count is well above Oxford University at 58, though Oxford has produced
the most Prime Ministers.

Mathematical!

The Mathematical Bridge (official name, the Wooden Bridge) is a wooden bridge that connects two parts of Queens College
and was the first bridge built using mathematical principles. It was designed by William Etheridge and built by James Essex
in 1749, who arranged the timbers in a series of tangents with radial members to tie the tangents together and create a self-
supportive structure. A popular myth is that Sir Isaac Newton, who at one point held the Lucasian Chair of Mathematics at
the university, built the bridge.

Hospitality

Hobsons Conduit is a watercourse in Cambridge that brings fresh water into the city. Thomas Hobson constructed it from
1610 to 1614 to supply Cambridge with fresh water and give visitors and their horses water to drink as they entered. The
Hobsons Conduit Trust that Thomas Hobson established for the conduits maintenance is still in existence today and the
conduit is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and historical relic.

Not in Charge

Following the Peasants Revolt in 1381, a new town charter was drawn up for Cambridge that transferred the supervision of
baking, brewing, forestalling, regrating, selling food, and weights and measures were all transferred from the city to the
university. This was a punitive measure meant to take the revenue from these activities away from Cambridge.

First Game of Footie

The first official game of football with rules similar to the rules we use now was played on Parkers Piece, a public park in the
middle of the city. These rules, appropriately dubbed the Cambridge Rules, were first used here in 1848 and were the basis
for the Football Associations rules in 1863.

What a Feast

Parkers Piece was also the site of a feast celebrating the coronation of Queen Victoria on 28 June, 1838. 60 banquet tables
radiated from a center bandstand and it is said that 15,000 of the citys poorer inhabitants attended. With these numbers, it
was certainly a large meal that consisted of 7,029 joints of mutton, beef, pork, and bacon that amounted to at least a 1 lb. of
meat person.
Which Came First?

Despite the university forming in 1209, the first of its colleges didnt form until 1284 thanks to the Bishop of Ely and a charter
from King Edward I. Today, the college is home to approximately 226 undergraduate students, 86 graduate students, and 45
fellows. Cambridge University has 31 colleges with 18,271 students with 9,823 academic and administrative staff members.

Night Climbing

A frowned-upon activity of the students involves climbing on the college buildings at night. Some of the climbers, not just
content with scaling the centuries-old structures, have used night climbing to commit several inventive pranks. In 1958,
Cambridge engineering students from Gonville & Caius College were able to get an Austin Seven on the roof of Senate
House. It took the university a week to remove it. In 2009, students placed some 25 Santa hats on various buildings,
including the pinnacle of Kings College Chapel and the top of Pembrokes Porters Lodge.

Punting

Punting is an activity that has existed in Cambridge since Edwardian times and involves riding a flat boat down the River
Cam while someone in the back uses a poll to push against the riverbed and move the punt down the Cam. While
Cambridge wasnt the first to enjoy this activity, it is probably the most popular place for it today.

Take That

Lord Byron was not allowed to keep a dog in his rooms at Trinity College Cambridge, so instead, he kept a bear. Byron
resented the rules that would not let him keep his beloved dog Boatswain with him at the college, and as the college had no
rules about bears in their statutes, they didnt have a legal basis to tell him to get rid of it.