Clare College, Cambridge

Clare College is one of the colleges that make up the University of Cambridge in England. It was created a long time ago, in 1326, and was first called University Hall. The college was given new support and renamed Clare Hall in 1338 by Elizabeth de Clare, and it changed to its current name, Clare College, in 1856.

Today, Clare College is known for its beautiful chapel choir and its lovely gardens that look out over the River Cam. These gardens are part of an area called the Backs, which shows the rear sides of many Cambridge colleges.

The college is also a registered charity, meaning it is supported to continue its work in teaching and learning. It is one of the oldest colleges at Cambridge, coming after only Peterhouse.

History

Clare College was started in 1326 by the university's chancellor, Richard Badew, and was first called 'University Hall'. It had a hard time getting money. In 1338, a woman named Elizabeth de Clare, who was a granddaughter of King Edward I, gave money to help the college. It was then called 'Clare Hall' and could support twenty teachers and ten students.

The college kept the name Clare Hall until 1856, when it changed to 'Clare College'. Women began studying there as undergraduates in 1972, making it one of the first colleges at the university to welcome female students.

Coat of arms

The coat of arms for Clare College has a special design with gold and red shapes, including three smaller shapes called chevronels and a cross, all surrounded by a border with golden droplets. This design comes from the personal seal of Elizabeth de Clare.

Buildings

Old Court

Clare's Old Court is an important building, built between 1638 and 1715, with a pause during the English Civil War. It shows different styles of architecture, from older Gothic design in the north to classic style in the south.

The college's chapel, built in 1763, was designed by Sir James Burrough and has a special painting called Annunciation by Giovanni Battista Cipriani.

Old Court can be seen from the Backs, framing King's College Chapel.

Clare Bridge

Main article: Clare College Bridge, Cambridge

Clare College has a bridge over the River Cam, the oldest of Cambridge's current bridges. Built of stone in 1640 and restored in 1969, it is an important listed building.

The bridge has fourteen stone balls, one of which is missing a piece. There are stories about why this happened, but the most likely reason is that a piece fell out during a repair.

Memorial Court

Clare Bridge connects to Memorial Court, designed by Giles Gilbert Scott and finished in 1926. This area remembers those from Clare who died in the First World War. A large arch at the entrance lists the names of alumni who died in both world wars.

Memorial Court was expanded in the 1950s and later divided when the Forbes Mellon Library was built in the center.

Lerner Court

Lerner Court, designed by van Heyningen and Haward Architects, opened in January 2008. It includes a lecture theatre, offices, rooms for students, and a laundry area.

Castle Court

Castle Court is a separate area for students to live, located between Castle Street and Chesterton Lane on Castle Hill, north of the city centre.

Gallery

Old Court in Winter

[Clare Bridge](/wiki/Clare_Bridge), over the [River Cam](/wiki/River_Cam)

Clare Bridge's missing wedge

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  Inside the Great Hall

The Scholars' Garden

College chapel

Lerner Court

Memorial Court

Memorial Court viewed from Queen's Road

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  Clare College boathouse

Clare College chapel

Student life

In 1972, Clare College became one of the first men's colleges at Cambridge to allow women to study there.

Clare College is famous for its music. The college choir has performed around the world, and the music society is well known, especially its orchestra. The college also has jazz and comedy nights. Every Friday during term time, students have a special night called Clare Ents, which is popular with students from all over the university. In the past, famous performers like Tinie Tempah, Bombay Bicycle Club, and Chase & Status have appeared there.

The college has its own student newspaper called Clareification. Each year in June, Clare holds a special celebration called the May Ball.

Clare Boat Club

The Clare Boat Club is the rowing team for students at Clare College. In 2012, it had more members than any other college rowing team in Cambridge, with six teams competing in the May Bumps race.

Academic performance

Students at Clare College do very well in their studies. In 2024, they were placed 12th in a special ranking called the Tompkins Table, which looks at how students from each college do in their degrees.

The college has had different rankings over the years. Sometimes they were in the top ten colleges, and other times they were lower. Getting a place to study at Clare College is hard because many students apply. For every spot, there are about five students who want to join. Even though some students get places at Clare College, many others are offered spots at other colleges in Cambridge.

People associated with Clare College

Main articles: List of alumni of Clare College, Cambridge and List of Masters of Clare College, Cambridge

Clare College has been linked with many important people over the years. Elizabeth de Clare, a writer, helped start the college. Other notable figures include Kwame Anthony Appiah, a philosopher and novelist, and Sir David Attenborough, a famous naturalist and broadcaster.

The college also counts Charles Cornwallis, a British Army officer, and Sir Andrew Wiles, the mathematician who solved Fermat's Last Theorem, among its connections. Many other influential thinkers, leaders, and artists have been part of Clare College's history.