The queens commemorated in the name of Queen's College are Queen Margaret and Queen Elizabeth Woodville. The regular entrance to Queens is in Silver Street, through a medieval brick gatehouse, but visitors to the college enter through the appropriately named Visitors' Gate, in Queens' Lane.

Old Court is the original medieval core of the college, with the centrepiece being Old Hall, erected in 1449 by Reginald Ely. That medieval building was drastically remodelled in 1732 in the present ornate classical style. The Tudor linenfold panelling was removed to the President's Study at that time. Over the High Table are three portraits of members of the Grey family, including that of Queen Elizabeth Woodville. The painted and gilded ceiling decoration scheme, a product of the mid Victorian period, is quite extraordinary.

Proceed on Cloister Court for a glimpse of an attractive building, half-timbered President's Lodge, home of the college Master. The simple and elegant college chapel was built in 1888 to a design by G.F. Bodley. The architect designed the reredos behind the altar, into which is fitted a late-15th century tryptich, attributed to the otherwise unknown Master of the View of Sainte-Gudule.

Queen's was the first of Cambridge colleges to charge admission to visitors, in an attempt to fund soundproofing efforts to diminish street noise from intruding into the college.

Contact information
Queens' College
Silver Street
Cambridge
Cambridgeshire
CB3 9ET
Telephone: 01223 335511 (College Switchboard)
01223 335522 (Fax)
web site

Visiting
Queens has a rather confusing timetable of visiting hours, but as a general rule the college is open to visitors in the afternoon on weekdays and from 10am on weekends. The only parts of the college regularly open to visitors are the Old Hall (1449) and the Chapel (1891).

Entry: free in winter months. Charge applies during the summer.