The site, known as Butcher's Close, part of one of the College's ancient estates, the demesne of Mortimer's Manor, Newnham, which was given to the College by Anne Scroope in 1498, was let to William Wilkins Senior (1751-1815) on a building lease c.1800. Upon it, Wilkins built a house which became known as Newnham Cottage.
The house was subsequently altered on its north west and north east wings during the early part of the twentieth century; and converted for use as student accommodation when it was brought back under direct College control in the 1950s.
(A short architectural history of the house is supplied in RCHME, Cambridge, Volume II, pp.375-6.)
The surviving plans reflect the alterations and services in the building during the period of the College's direct management of the property in the late twentieth century.
The Master's lodge grew out from the chamber and private oratory allocated to the Master adjacent to the College chapel in the 1430s. Under Dr Caius, the lodge, which by 1559 consisted of three chambers as well as the oratory, was extended to about ten rooms on three floors. Other than changes to the interiors in 171, the lodge was not significantly enlarged again until 1795 until William Wilkins added a new neo-classical wing extending the the west. This was further enlarged as far as Trinity Lane by Anthony Salvin in 1853. Redevelopment of the east end of the Lodge took place under Alfred Waterhouse in 1869. In 1996, John Simpson undertook the modernisation of the Master's Lodge as part of the redevelopment of the west range of Gonville Court. These plans reflect the changes made to the Lodge from the time of Waterhouse, and prior to the work of Simpson.
(For further information on the history of the Master's Lodge, see J.Venn, Biographical History of Gonville and Caius College, Volume III, p.195 and The Caian, 1999)
General plans of the site bounded by Sidgwick Avenue, West Road and Queen's Road.
On 25 October 1957, the College passed a resolution to employ Sir Leslie Martin as the architect of a projected new building on the West Road site. The intention was to supply additional undergraduate rooms so that each student could be resident for at least two years in College accommodation. The building was designed by Martin, who had recently taken up the newly created Chair of Architecture, in partnership with Colin St. John Wilson assisted by Patrick Hodgkinson. The building contract was awarded to Messrs William Sindall Ltd, and building began in the autumn of 1960, to be completed in time for occupation in Michaelmas term 1962. The new building was named Harvey Court after William Harvey, the Caian credited with discovering circulation of the blood.
Gonville Court is based upon the original Trinity Street site of Gonville Hall. The original Hall and Library, occupying the north west corner of what is now Gonville Court, were built between 1431 and 1441. of Gonville Hall was built between 1431 and 1441; this area also became the site of the common room, or combination room, from around the sixteenth century. The chapel, the earliest part of which dates back to c.1390, forms the south side of the court; with 14th-15th century buildings to the east.
The 12th and 13th century houses which originally formed the north side of the court were rebuilt in the mid-18th century, at which point the rest of the court was refaced. In the mid-nineteenth century, the north west corner of the court was converted into a house for the Senior Tutor, E.S. Roberts, and his family. This conversion was reversed during the Cameron mastership, when the Senior Parlour, the Junior Parlour and the Bachelors' (now Middle) Combination Room.
Alterations to the Library and Hall have been made periodically. These included the introduction of a plaster ceiling in the Hall by John Soane in 1792. Increases in student numbers made it necessary to build a new hall, adjoining Trinity Lane in 1853-4, to the design of Anthony Salvin; and the Library was moved north, also abutting Trinity Lane, at the same time. The Old Hall was first converted into rooms, then in 1909 into the Monro Library, later a student reading room. This work overlapped with alterations to the Hall by Edward Warren. Refurbishment of the College kitchen was undertaken in the 1960s; and most recently, following the removal of the Library, a major refurbishment was undertaken by John Simpson to convert the Old Hall and the Old Library into a Fellows' dining room and combination room, and to refurbish kitchen and student bar facilities.
The surviving plans of Gonville Court reflect the later history of Gonville Court, mainly regarding the alterations to Hall from Soane onwards; the refurbishment of the kitchens; and the Simpson redevelopment of the west range of Gonville Court.
(Additional information about the architectural history of Gonville Court can be found in C.N.L. Brooke, History of Caius, and the Biographical History of Caius, Volumes III, IV, VI and VIII)
The Gate of Honour or porta honoris was built on the south side of the then newly built court now known as Caius Court in 1575. It was paid for by Dr Caius but not built until after his death. The Gate of Virtue had previously been built in 1567-9 on the east side of this court. The trio was completed by the Gate of Humility which stood to the east of the Gate of Virtue at then end of an alley connecting the two (now enclosed as Tree Court), forming the main entrance to the College. The student entered the College through the Gate of Humility, passed during his College life through the Gate of Virtue and progressed to the University Schools from the Gate of Honour. The original Gate of Humility was removed firstly to Senate House passage and finally to the south wall of the Master's Garden during the re-building of Tree Court in 1868. All of the Gates, in particular the Gate of Honour, have been the subject of a number of restoration projects and alterations, of which these plans and drawings are the record.
For further information regarding the gates, see also Biographical History of Gonville and Caius College, Volume III (1901), p.49 and Vol VII (1978), pp.534-40; C.N.L. Brooke, History of Gonville and Caius College (Boydell, 1985), pp.65-7; Willis and Clark, Architectural History of the University of Cambridge, Volume I; J. Venn, Annals of Gonville and Caius College.
Caius Court, as the name suggests, was built under the direction of John Caius in the 1560s, providing accommodation for Fellows and students. Apart from the refacing of the College chapel in 1717 and restoration of the gate of Honour, the court has remained largely unchanged since its construction, therefore the surviving plans are largely concerned with cosmetic changes and provision of services.
The Bateman auditorium was created in 1996 from a garage and bicycle shed which had been built as a College lecture-room in 1883-5 on the site of the Master's stable. These plans also include unrealised designs from the 1970s to develop this space as the College Library.
(For further information regarding the bateman auditorium, see The Caian, 1996)
Including Gog Magog golf pavilion (blueprints); Duxford, Eaden Lilley Centre; Hills Road; Ventress Farm Estate; Quenn Edith Road; Fendon Road
The site is part of one of the College's ancient estates, the demesne of Mortimer's Manor, Newnham, which was given to the College by Anne Scroope in 1498 and enclosed in 1803. After enclosure, plots of land were let on building leases, such as the lease of the site for West House to C.J. Clay in 1873. The house was brought back into College hands in the 1960, and has since been used as accommodation for fellows and students.
These plans document recent renovations to the property.
Plans of College buildings and properties, as well as properties belonging to other Colleges. Buildings mainly in Cambridge or Cambridgeshire, but with plans of buildings around the country.
Plans of new archive facility