Highways and Byways in Cambridge and Ely

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HIGHWAYS AND BYWAYS

IN

CAMBRIDGE AND ELY




  MACMILLAN AND CO., Limited

  LONDON . BOMBAY . CALCUTTA
  MELBOURNE

  THE MACMILLAN COMPANY

  NEW YORK . BOSTON . CHICAGO
  ATLANTA . SAN FRANCISCO

  THE MACMILLAN CO. OF CANADA, Ltd

  TORONTO




[Illustration: _Ely Cathedral. Western Tower._]




  _HIGHWAYS AND BYWAYS_

  IN

  _CAMBRIDGE AND ELY_

  BY THE

  Rev. EDWARD CONYBEARE

  AUTHOR OF
  "HISTORY OF CAMBRIDGESHIRE," "RIDES AROUND CAMBRIDGE," ETC.

  WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY
  FREDERICK L. GRIGGS

  MACMILLAN AND CO., LIMITED
  ST. MARTIN'S STREET, LONDON
  1910




  RICHARD CLAY AND SONS, Limited.
  BREAD STREET HILL, E.C., AND
  BUNGAY, SUFFOLK.




PREFACE


The Highways of Cambridgeshire and the Isle of Ely are usually
regarded as unattractive compared with those of England in general.
Nor is this criticism wholly unfair. The county does lack the features
which most make for picturesque rural scenery. There are no high
hills, little even of undulation, and, what is yet more fatal, a sad
sparsity of timber. The Highways, then, seem to the traveller merely
stretches of ground to be got over as speedily as may be, and he
rejoices that their flatness lends itself so well to this end.

It is however far otherwise with the Byways. These abound with
picturesque nooks and corners. In every village charming features are
to be found,--thatched and timbered cottages, hedgerow elms, bright
willow-shaded watercourses, old-time village greens, and, above all,
old-time village churches, often noble, and never without artistic and
historical interest of high order. Few counties better repay
exploration than Cambridgeshire.

And if the Highways are devoid of attraction during their course
through the country districts, they make up for it by the supreme
beauty and interest of their passage through the towns. Cambridge
itself is, as all know, amongst the loveliest and most interesting
places in existence, with its world-famed colleges and its
epoch-making history. And Ely stands in the very first rank amongst
the glorious cathedrals of England.

To introduce my readers, then, to the unique interest of these two
places, with special regard to the points mostly passed over in
guide-books, has been my chief purpose in the following pages. And to
those who may think that a disproportionate amount of my space has
been allotted to these, I would apologise by reminding them that the
vast majority of travellers perforce confine their visits to such
special centres, and have no time for exploring country lanes. But
those who can make the time will find it (as this book, I hope, will
show them) time well spent, and their exploration no small treat.

I need scarcely add that on such well-worn themes originality is
hardly possible, and that I have made use both of my own earlier
writings on the subject, and of those of others, my debt to whom I
gratefully acknowledge. Most especially am I bound to do so with
regard to Messrs. Atkinson and Clark, whose monumental work "Cambridge
Described" is a veritable mine of information, and to Professor and
Mrs. Hughes for the help which I have found in their "County Geography
of Cambridgeshire."

                                                     EDWARD CONYBEARE.




CONTENTS


  CHAPTER I                                                       PAGE

  Cambridge Greenery. -- The Backs. -- The Lawns. -- Logan's Views. --
  Old Common Fields. -- Old Cambridge. -- Origin of Cambridge. -- The
  Castle. -- Camboritum. -- Granta-ceaster. -- Danes in Cambridge. --
  Cambridgeshire formed. -- Battle of Ringmere. -- Norman Conquest. --
  The Jewry. -- Religious Houses. -- Rise of University. -- Town and
  Gown. -- Proctors. -- The Colleges. -- Examinations. -- College
  Life. -- Cambridge and Oxford                                      1


  CHAPTER II

  Entrance to Cambridge. -- Railways. -- Roman Catholic Church. --
  Street runlets, Hobson, Perne. -- Fitzwilliam Museum. --
  =Peterhouse=, Chapel, Deer-park. -- Little St. Mary's Church,
  Washington Arms. -- Gray's window. -- =Pembroke College=, Large and
  Small Colleges, "Querela Cantabrigiensis," Ridley's Farewell. -- St.
  Botolph's Church. -- The King's Ditch. -- =Corpus Christi College=,
  Cambridge Guilds, St. Benet's Church, Firehooks, Corpus Library,
  Corpus Ghost. -- =St. Catherine's College.= -- King's Parade. --
  Pitt Press. -- Newnham Bridge, Hermits. -- The Backs River, College
  Bridges, Hithes                                                   20


  CHAPTER III

  =Queens' College=, Erasmus, Cloisters, Carmelites, Chapel. -- Old
  Mill Street. -- =King's College=, Henry VI, King's and Eton, Henry's
  "Will."