Cambridge University Myths and Traditions

Cambridge University was founded in 1209, over 800 years ago. It is in part, the establishment’s longevity which drives some of its myths and has cemented in traditions still adhered to this day.

Tour guides covering the University and The College Backs have always recounted stories from clock tower construction races to cars suspended from The Bridge of Sighs. One of the more famous stories told concerns the Mathematical Bridge. While many different versions have been heard, the story of The Mathematical Bridge at Queens College is told roughly as follows. Back in 1749, Isaac Newton designed the Bridge using a mathematical principle he had discovered, known as tangent and radial trussing. The design was so clever that placement of the wooden beams it was made of meant they were load bearing and required no nuts or bolts to join them. A few years later a few drunk students decided to test Newton’s design and took the bridge apart to see if there were concealed nuts and bolts. Of course, Newton had not cheated, but the students were unable to reconstruct the bridge and had to resort to using nuts and bolts to keep it together when they eventually rebuilt it. Sadly, the story is just that, a story. Isaac Newton passed away in 1727, 22 years before the bridge was built and the bridge has always used dowels or bolts to connect the wood. The story does serve to keep locals and tourists on their toes though, as it has been repeated so often it’s frequently regarded as truth!

Myths and Legends of Trinity College

Trinity College in Cambridge, as the largest and wealthiest of the colleges, enjoys its share of myth and tradition as well. Situated on The Backs of the River Cam there are wild stories of the wealth of the college told by tour guides and stories of student pranks, which have become themselves a tradition. Trinity’s founder King Henry VIII has a statue of himself at the front of the college, holding a sceptre. Some time ago, this sceptre was stolen and replaced with a wooden chair leg as a prank. To this day the college has not removed the chair leg and replaced the sceptre. Trinity seems mildly tolerant of traditions in this sense. They also allow a wooden carving of a mallard to be kept in the beams of The Great Hall where dinner is held. Periodically this Mallard is moved to a different beam, a feat held in significant regard. Not only are the beams high up and dangerous to climb, but the college also restricts access to the hall and only permits students entry at meal times. Still, rather than remove the mallard, Trinity allow the continuation of this tradition.

Night Climbers

Not all activities receive The University’s blessing, however. The tradition of night-climbing in Cambridge is one which the colleges most definitely frown on. Scaling famous landmarks from King’s College Chapel to The New Court of St John’s, night-climbing has been around for about 150 years. Done under cover of darkness students ascend the gothic structures and sometimes leave trophies at the top as proof of successful summit. Night-climbing makes frequent appearances in tours of the College Backs with many of the colleges on the river having played host to some form of climber in their history. To find out more about The Mallard, The Night Climbers, and how The Mathematical Bridge was really built, join us on a traditional punting tour!