Selwyn college, founded about the same time, is named after the great Bishop Selwyn, who died in 1877.  The college aims at the provision, on a hostel basis, of a University education on a less expensive scale than the older colleges.

Of the two women’s colleges, Girton was founded first.  This was in 1869, and the site chosen was as far away as Hitchen, but four years later, gaining confidence, the college was moved to Girton, a mile north-west of the town, on the Roman Via Devana.  Newnham arrived on the scene soon afterwards, and, considering proximity to the University town no disadvantage, the second women’s college was planted between Ridley and Selwyn, with Miss Clough as the first principal.

CHAPTER V

The university library, the Senate house, the Pitt Press, and the museums

In the early days when the University of Cambridge was still in an embryonic state, the various newly formed communities of academic learning had no corporate centre whatever.  “The chancellor and masters” are first mentioned in a rescript of Bishop Balsham dated 1276, eight years before he founded Peterhouse, the first college, and six years before this Henry III. had addressed a letter to “the masters and scholars of Cambridge University,” so that between these two dates it would appear that the chancellor really became the prime academic functionary.  But it was not until well into the fourteenth century that any University buildings made their appearance.

The “schools quadrangle” was begun when Robert Thorpe, knight, was chancellor (1347-64), and during the following century various schools for lecturing and discussions on learned matters were built round the court, now entirely devoted to the library.  Unfortunately, the medieval character of these buildings has been masked by a classic facade on the south, built in 1754, when it was thought necessary to make the library similar in style to the newly built Senate House.  Thus without any further excuse the fine Perpendicular frontage by Thomas Rotherham, Bishop of Lincoln and fellow of King’s, was demolished to make way for what can only be called a most unhappy substitute.  George I. was really the cause of this change, for in 1715 he presented Cambridge with Dr. John Moore’s extensive library, and not having the space to accommodate the little Hanoverian’s gift, the authorities decided to add the old Senate House, which occupied the north side of the quadrangle, to the library, and to build a new Senate House; and the building then erected, designed by Mr., afterwards Sir James, Burrough, is still in use.  It is a well-proportioned and reposeful piece of work, although the average undergraduate probably has mixed feelings when he gazes at the double line of big windows between composite pillasters supporting the rather severe