The History of Cambridge

The History of Cambridge University

Consistently ranked within the top 5 universities in the world, Cambridge University is a historic UK institution providing over 30 undergraduate and more than 300 postgraduate programmes across 31 different colleges. As the third oldest university in the world still running, Cambridge has an incredibly rich history spanning over 800 years. Learn more about the history of Cambridge in this guide.

The Founding of Cambridge University

Cambridge University was founded in 1209 partly as a response to an incident at Oxford University which caused many scholars to relocate to Cambridge. Due to the institution’s vast history, much of the information regarding its early days has been unfortunately lost.

Key Figures in the Establishment

From 1209, a group of scholars in the town of Cambridge initiated the university’s formation and, in 1225, a chancellor of the university was appointed. In 1231, the university was officially recognised through a royal charter, granted by King Henry III.

Establishment of the Colleges

In 1284, Peterhouse, the first of 31 colleges, was founded by the Bishop of Ely. Throughout the 14th and 15th century many more colleges were established with the most recent being Homerton College in 2010. During medieval times, it was common for colleges to be established so that members could pray for the souls of the founders and, as such, many were associated with chapels or abbeys.

Early History of Cambridge University

Cambridge University in the Medieval Times

In the 1340s, the Black Death (the bubonic plague epidemic) struck Cambridge and killed 40-60% of the population. However, in the 1400s the university thrived, partly due to the foundation of King’s College in 1441 which was larger than previous colleges and was given more rights. At this time, teaching was not conducted by professors but by ‘masters’ who had passed the course themselves, while learning mainly consisted in the reading and explaining of texts.

The 16th and 17th Centuries

In 1546, Trinity College was founded by King Henry VIII who also established the Church of England, forcing the university to change their curriculum accordingly. In 1584, the world’s oldest press was established, the Cambridge University Press.

The 17th century saw many pioneering students and scientific advancements on campus, including the works of Sir Isaac Newton, the discovery of blood circulation and the development in methods of navigation and map-making.

The 18th Century

Throughout the 18th century, Cambridge moved from being a Classical/Liberal Arts institution to using pedagogical practices, introducing methods of teaching such as lectures and tutorials. Several more notable historical figures attended the university at this time, including poet Richard Bentley and a number of graduates who signed America’s Declaration of Independence.

Cambridge University in the Modern Era

The 19th Century

The Cambridge University Act of 1856 saw the introduction of many new subjects, including Theology, History and Modern Languages. Further scientific advancements were made including the works of Charles Darwin, JJ Thomson and James Maxwell.

Additionally, women were enrolled at Cambridge University for the first time with the first female college, Girton College, established in 1869 by Emily Davis.

The 20th Century

Many academic and cultural changes were made to Cambridge University throughout the 20th Century. In 1924, the university awarded its first PhD degree and, although women were already taught at colleges in the 19th century, in 1948 they were also permitted to sit examinations for the first time with the first degrees being awarded.

The 20th century also saw an explosion of scientific discoveries at Cambridge, including the discovery of vitamins, the first split of the atom, the discovery of DNA structure and DNA sequencing.

Cambridge University in World War I & II

During World War I, Cambridge made a significant contribution to the war effort with 13,878 members entering the battlefield and 2,470 giving up their lives in the fight. During World War II, Cambridge thankfully escaped damage from the air raids, however teaching at the university took a great hit as over 60% of the professors had left the institution to fight.

Cambridge University’s Influence in the 21st Century

Today, Cambridge is still known for its world leading research and pioneering discoveries while continuing its historic traditions, unique teaching style and college structure. The 21st century has also brought about significant expansion, including the launch of the new Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (CRASSH) and two new cancer research institutes. Alongside new forward thinking initiatives, Cambridge has also had its share of controversies and challenges in recent years.

Current Challenges and Controversies

Since 2018, Cambridge has faced criticism regarding sexual harassment on campus, which resulted in lawsuits over the university’s response to sexual misconduct complaints. Additionally, since October 2023, many protests have taken place, demanding that the university divest from Israel and sever their financial ties. Cambridge have since stated that they are operating as normal and support the right to protest and freedom of speech, however, do not tolerate any form of antisemitism or Islamophobia.

Forward-thinking Initiatives

In 2019, ‘Cambridge Zero’ was launched, the University’s response to the climate crisis which aims to maximise Cambridge’s contribution to global climate research and move towards becoming a zero-carbon university.

Additionally, the initiative ‘Innovate Cambridge’, launched in 2022  aims to create an inclusive environment in Cambridge’s ecosystem. Over 150 organisations including AstraZeneca and Microsoft have pledged their commitment to support and promote innovation in the Greater Cambridge ecosystem.

Looking to Study at Cambridge University?

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Sources

https://www.cam.ac.uk

https://www.zero.cam.ac.uk