3; King's College

The King's College of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge, known as simply King's College, was founded in 1441 by King Henry VI soon after he had founded its sister institution at Eton College.  King's College Chapel is regarded as one of the finest examples of late English Gothic architecture and has the world's largest fan vault ceiling, while its stained-glass windows and wooden chancel screen are considered some of the finest from their era; the building is an emblem of Cambridge.

We enter via the Gate House along King's Parade and face the magnificent Front Court with the Chapel on our right, Gibb's Building (used for teaching, study and admin) straight ahead and the Wilkin's Building (used for dining) on our left; in the centre of the Front Court is the Fountain with a statue of Henry VI, the "boy-king", on it - he was born in 1421, the only child of Henry V, and succeeded to the English throne at the age of nine months upon his father's death!  We enter the chapel and see the dark screen from the ante-chapel area, before passing through this to the magnificent choir area with its many stalls; ahead of us is the Great East Window and the Rubens painting "The Adoration of the Magi", a gift to King's College in 1961.  We visit the Chapel of All Souls and St Edward's Chapel before passing an exhibition housed in various side chapels.  

We exit the chapel and walk around the Back Lawn to the bridge over the River Cam; just after this is the Xu Zhimo memorial stone and Chinese Garden built in his memory. He was a student here in 1922 and his poem “Second Farewell to Cambridge” has become emblematic of modernist Chinese poetry - it has been learnt by millions of schoolchildren in China. Chinese tourists have flocked to Cambridge ever since in search of the scenes that so inspired him. 

We exit via the backs; what a day!Read more