Historic Buildings in Cambridgeshire

The historic manor house in the riverside village of Hemingford Grey is one of the oldest continuously inhabited houses in Britain. The moated Manor was built around 1130 in a beautiful location on the south bank of the River Great Ouse, a few miles west of St Ives. The house is set in 4 acres of lovely gardens, famous for their selection of roses and irises.
The Manor, Huntingdon, Hemingford Grey, East Anglia, Cambridgeshire, England, PE28 9BN

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Heritage Highlight: One of oldest continuously inhabited houses in Britain

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Houghton Mill is a restored 17th-century water mill on an island in the River Ouse. It is now the only remaining water mill in the old county of Huntingdonshire, and, indeed, the last surviving mill on the Great Ouse. The mill is five storeys high and built of timber framing, clad with weatherboard. Though built in the 17th century, it was enlarged and remodelled in the 19th century.
Houghton, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, England, PE28 2AZ

Attraction Type: Historic Property - Mill
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Jesus College was founded in 1496 by John Alcock, Bishop of Ely. The Bishop had more than a little wealth to put into his new foundation, for Jesus possesses very spacious grounds, and has a much more relaxed ambience than many of the older colleges that are crammed close together in the city centre. The only problem for Alcock was that his chosen site was already occupied by a nunnery. No problem! The Bishop accused the nuns of bad behaviour and had the nunnery disbanded, clearing the way for Jesus College to take its place.
Jesus Lane, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, CB5 8BL

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As you might expect from the name, King's College was founded by a king. In this case, the monarch was Henry VI, and the year was 1441. Henry's grand idea was that King's College would serve as the next stage of education for graduates of his new public school at Eton. Henry initially shoe-horned his new college between the Chapel and Senate House Passage. But the college had barely been established before Henry decided to move it to its present location on the bank of the River Cam.
Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, CB2 1ST

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One of the smallest of the medieval colleges at Cambridge, Magdalene possesses the longest stretch of river frontage of any college. The roots of Magdalene College go back to 1428 when the abbey at Crowland built a hostel for their monks. The abbey intentionally chose a site well away from the other colleges, far from the sinful temptations of the town centre. In the 1470s the abbeys of Walden, Ramsey, and Ely joined with Crowland to create a communal hostel and extended the buildings to include a chapel and other college buildings.
Magdalene Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, CB3 0AG

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Home of Oliver Cromwell and his family from 1636, and now restored to present the life and times of the Lord Protector. The building is now also home to the Ely TIC.
29 St Mary's Street, Ely, Cambridgeshire, England, CB7 4HF

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Among the oldest and most prestigious of the Cambridge colleges, Pembroke dates to 1347. The college was founded by Marie, Countess of Pembroke. Pembroke was the first college to have its own chapel, which required a special papal dispensation. The chapel was later replaced by a neoclassical one built by Sir Christopher Wren. The original chapel became a library space.
Pembroke Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, CB2 1RF

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In 1284 Hugh de Balsham, later to become Bishop of Ely, established a college in Cambridge - the very first of the colleges that would later join together to form Cambridge University. The new college was situated close to Little St Mary's Church, which at that time was dedicated to St Peter. The association stuck, and the new college became known as Peterhouse.
Trumpington Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, CB2 1RD

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Queens' College Cambridge was founded by not one, but two queens of England (which explains why the apostrophe in the name comes after the s, not before it as you might expect). The queens concerned were Margaret of Anjou, wife of Henry VI, and Elizabeth Woodville, wife of Edward IV. Queen Margaret obtained a patent from her husband in 1448 to launch a new college here. The first part of Queens' to be built was Old Court. Queen Elizabeth Woodville became patroness in 1465, and Cloister Court was built in 1495.
Queens' Lane, Silver Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, CB3 9ET

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Sidney Sussex College is one of Cambridge University's hidden treasures. The college dates to 1594 when it was founded to train priests for the Church of England. The benefactress was Lady Frances Sidney, Countess of Sussex and aunt of the poet Sir Philip Sidney. Lady Sidney's money proved insufficient, and her bequest was in danger of being transferred to Clare College when the executors of the will stepped in and contributed their own cash to ensure that Sidney Sussex College was founded. The most famous alumnus of the college was Oliver Cromwell, and the college gained a reputation for training extreme Puritan and radical students.
Sidney Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, CB2 3HU

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