Jesus College, Cambridge

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Full name

The College of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint John the Evangelist and the glorious Virgin Saint Radegund, near Cambridge

Motto

Facias Prosperum Iter

Named after

Jesus Lane & Jesus Parish

Previous names

Established

1496

Sister College(s)

Jesus College

Master

Prof. Robert Mair

Location

Jesus Lane

Undergraduates

503

Postgraduates

237

Homepage

Boatclub

Jesus College at the University of Cambridge was founded in 1496 on the site of a Benedictine nunnery by John Alcock, then Bishop of Ely. It is traditionally held that the nunnery was turned into a college because the nunnery had gained a reputation for licentiousness.

The college’s full name is “The College of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint John the Evangelist and the glorious Virgin Saint Radegund, near Cambridge”. Its common name comes from the name of its chapel, Jesus Chapel. Founded in the beginning of the 11th century, the chapel is the oldest University building in Cambridge still in use.

When founded in 1496, the college consisted of buildings taken over from the nunnery: namely the chapel, and the cloister attached to it; the nuns’ refectory, which became the college hall; and the former lodging of the prioress, which became the Master’s Lodge. This set of buildings remains the core of the college to this day, and this accounts for its distinctly monastic and non-collegiate character, which sets it apart from other Cambridge colleges. A library was soon added, on the floor above the college hall, and the chapel was considerably modified and reduced in scale by Alcock.

The 500th anniversary of the college’s foundation in 1996 saw the completion of the new Quincentenary Library, designed by Eldred Evans and David Shalev, which was shortly followed by a new accommodation building.

Jesus College Gatehouse and the “Chimney”

The college is also known for its grounds, which are unlike those of Cambridge’s other old colleges, being much more spacious. Set back from Jesus Lane, all the courts are open on at least one side (with the exception of the Cloister), giving a very natural feel to the college. The main entrance to the college is a walled passage, called the “Chimney” (derived from the French word chemin).

Jesus College is one of the few colleges to allow anyone to walk on the lawns of its courts, with the exception of First Court, Cloister Court and those that are burial sites for deceased nuns from the original nunnery. However, in common with other Cambridge colleges, this privilege is only extended during the summer term. Jesus is one of the more beautiful colleges but gets far fewer tourists than most other colleges due to being slightly away from the centre.

Professor Robert Mair, Fellow of St John’s and Professor of Geotechnical Engineering in the university, has been Master of Jesus since March 2001.

Jesus College is the 3rd wealthiest college (after Trinity and St John's) in Cambridge with fixed assets of £236,404,421(2004).

The college also maintains two choirs, both directed by Daniel Hyde:

Jesus College Choir consists of male and female students and sings regular services twice a week in the chapel. One of the leading choirs in Cambridge, its singers are drawn from a number of the colleges.
Jesus College Chapel Choir consists of around 20 choristers combined with the Gentlemen of the College Choir, and also sings services twice a week in the chapel. It is unique among Cambridge college choirs in that the choristers are volunteers - that is, they are drawn from schools around the city, and do not attend a particular choir school.

[edit] Famous Jesuans

See also Category:Alumni of Jesus College, Cambridge

The cloister in the college grounds

Peter Mitchell, Nobel Prize Winner for the Chemiosmosis, redefining biochemistry and providing evidence for evolution
Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, and compiler of the Book of Common Prayer
John Bale, Bishop of Ossory
Thomas Goodrich, Bishop of Ely
Sir Fulke Greville (1568), friend and biographer of Sir Philip Sidney
John Eliot (1619), apostle of the North American Indians, who translated the Bible into the Algonquin language
Geoffrey Downs, John Edmunds, and Arthur Golding (also known as a translator of Ovid), all Protestant propagandists
Richard Sterne (Master, 1634), and later Archbishop of York
William Beale (Master, 1632),
John Flamsteed, (1670) the first Astronomer Royal
Thomas Herring (1710) and Matthew Hutton (1710), both Archbishops of Canterbury
John Jortin (1715), ecclesiastical historian
Henry Venn (1742), a leader of the Evangelical movement in the Church of England
Gilbert Wakefield (1772), principal of two nonconformist academies
Laurence Sterne (1733)
Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1791)
David Hartley (1722), philosopher
Robert Malthus (1784), population theorist
Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, novelist and critic, universally known as ‘Q’
Sir Harold Scott, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service from 1945 to 1953
Arthur Gray (Master, 1912-40)
E. M. W. Tillyard (Master, 1945-59), literary critic
Steve Fairbairn, rowing coach
Alistair Cooke, broadcaster
Jacob Bronowski, broadcaster
Robert Gittings, poet and biographer
Raymond Williams, literary and cultural critic, who subsequently returned to Jesus to become Professor of Drama
Roger Scruton, philosopher
David Hare, playwright
M. W. Abbasi (1905-1969), Secretary to the Government of Pakistan, Ministry of Rehabilitation.
Nick Hornby, novelist and journalist
Lisa Jardine, literary critic (and Bronowski’s daughter), the college’s first woman fellow elected in 1976
Steve Waddington of The Beloved
Prince Edward (read history 1983-1986)
James Wood, literary critic
Lord Renfrew (Master 1986-1998), archaeologist
Kimberley Rew, songwriter and guitarist, of The Soft Boys and Katrina and the Waves
Anthony Wilson, journalist and co-founder of Factory Records
Alexis Taylor, lead singer and co-founder of Hot Chip
James Reeves, author and literary critic
Geoff Hoon, Labour Secretary of State for Europe
Daniel Harding, orchestral and operatic conductor (left early to pursue an illustrious career)