Robinson College, Cambridge

Last updated

Robinson College
University of Cambridge
Robinson College Fascade.JPG
Facade of Robinson College
Robinson College Crest.svg
Arms of Robinson College
Scarf colours: from one edge of the scarf to the other, the first third grey, then three equal stripes of blue, gold and grey, and then the final third blue
Location Grange Road (map)
Full nameRobinson College in the University of Cambridge
AbbreviationR [1]
Established1977
Named after David Robinson
Sister college St Catherine's College, Oxford
Warden Sir Richard Heaton
Undergraduates428 (2022–23) [2]
Postgraduates256 (2022–23) [2]
Fellows110
Endowment £25.7m (2021) [3]
Website www.robinson.cam.ac.uk
Students' association rcsa.co.uk
MCR mcr.robinson.cam.ac.uk
Boat club facebook.com/robinsonboatclub/
Map
Location map Cambridge.png
Red pog.svg
Location in Cambridge
The stained-glass windows of Robinson College Chapel, designed by John Piper. Robinsonw.jpg
The stained-glass windows of Robinson College Chapel, designed by John Piper.

Robinson College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1977, it is one of the newest Oxbridge colleges and is unique in having been intended, from its inception, for both undergraduate and graduate students of both sexes.

Contents

The College was founded through a significant donation from the businessman and philanthropist, Sir David Robinson. In 1981 Robinson College was formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II with both undergraduate and graduate students in attendance.

History

The College was founded after David Robinson offered the University £17 million to establish a new college in Cambridge. Robinson later gave his College another £1 million on the occasion of its official opening. The first graduate students and fellows joined the College in 1977. Undergraduates (20 of them) were first admitted in 1979, but significant numbers only began arriving the following year. Robinson was formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II in May 1981.

While Robinson embraces many Cambridge traditions, such as Formal Hall, a chapel and porters' lodge, it avoids others: for example, it allows its students to walk on the grass in the College gardens. In general, the College has a reputation for being slightly less formal and traditional than other Cambridge Colleges.

Buildings and grounds

Designed by the Scottish architectural firm Gillespie, Kidd & Coia, Robinson's main buildings are distinctive for the use of handmade red bricks in their construction. In November 2022, Historic England announced that the College had been awarded Grade II* listed status. [4] In November 2008, the college was included in the "50 most inspiring buildings in Britain" by The Daily Telegraph . [5] Of particular note is the chapel, which contains stained-glass windows designed by John Piper and houses a renowned Frobenius organ. [6] The oak-panelled dining hall seats 300 for formal dining and the library is remarkable for its use of woodwork, for which it was awarded the Carpenter’s Award for 1981. [7]

The College is located a ten-minute walk west of the city centre, behind the University Library, near the science buildings in West Cambridge and the arts faculties on the university's Sidgwick Site. It stands on a 12.5-acre (5.1 ha) wooded site of historical and horticultural interest. [8] The College Gardens are a fusion of ten pre-existing gardens which date back to late Victorian and early Edwardian times [9] and are crossed by the Bin Brook stream, which once supplied water to the Medieval Hospital of St John (now St John's College).

Within its grounds are Thorneycreek House and Cottage (built in 1895), the Crausaz Wordsworth Building and the Maria Björnson outdoor theatre. Robinson owns a number of houses on Adams Road and Sylvester Road adjoining the main college site, which it uses for student accommodation.

The main entrance to the college is via a drawbridge-like ramp which is accessible to wheelchair users, and there are also some special facilities for those with physical or visual disabilities.

The Needham Research Institute is also located within the College grounds.

Conferences

As one of Cambridge's most important[ citation needed ] conference centres, Robinson hosts conferences when undergraduate students are absent.

Student life

Students of the college are represented by the Robinson College Students' Association, or RCSA, [10] headed by a President, with members of the college elected to the RCSA committee every year. Politically, Robinson is generally seen as liberal. Robinson has supplied a large number of Green Officers to the Cambridge University Students' Union in recent years and in 2008 was judged the most environmentally friendly college in Cambridge. [11]

Like other colleges, Robinson provides its students with recreational facilities such as a JCR, MCR, TV room, art room, café and bar. As a result of its other role as a conference centre, the college is equipped with two auditoria that are available for student use during term; the smaller one being frequently used by the college's film society and the larger by the "Brickhouse Theatre Company" (dramatic society). [12] There is also a purpose-built party room that hosts college "bops" and other entertainment. Musical talents are catered for by a music room, CD library and chapel.

There are also several sports teams, covering most major sports: everything from water polo and cricket to rowing and rugby union. Robinson has become successful in hockey, winning the Cambridge colleges league and colleges Varsity match against Oriel College, Oxford, in 2009–2010, in addition to becoming mixed cuppers champions by beating Churchill College, Cambridge.

College arms

The arms of the College are described as follows: 'Azure in base two Bars wavy Argent over all a Pegasus rampant Or gorged with a Crown rayonny Gules.' [13]

College grace

The Latin grace is read before the start of formal hall. [14]

Latin : Benedic, domine, nobis et donis tuis, per Jesum Christum dominum nostrum. Amen.
Lord, bless us and your gifts, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Notable people

Alumni

Fellows

In addition, the writer Valerie Grosvenor Myer, although not formally a Fellow, supervised English students at Robinson in the 1980s.

List of Wardens

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colleges of the University of Cambridge</span>

The University of Cambridge is composed of 31 colleges in addition to the academic departments and administration of the central university. Until the mid-19th century, both Cambridge and Oxford comprised a group of colleges with a small central university administration, rather than universities in the common sense. Cambridge's colleges are communities of students, academics and staff – an environment in which generations and academic disciplines are able to mix, with both students and fellows experiencing "the breadth and excellence of a top University at an intimate level".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christ's College, Cambridge</span> College of the University of Cambridge

Christ's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college includes the Master, the Fellows of the College, and about 450 undergraduate and 250 graduate students. The college was founded by William Byngham in 1437 as God's House. In 1505, the college was granted a new royal charter, was given a substantial endowment by Lady Margaret Beaufort, and changed its name to Christ's College, becoming the twelfth of the Cambridge colleges to be founded in its current form. Alumni of the college include some of Cambridge University's most famous members, including Charles Darwin and John Milton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Downing College, Cambridge</span> College of the University of Cambridge

Downing College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge and currently has around 950 students. Founded in 1800, it was the only college to be added to Cambridge University between 1596 and 1869, and is often described as the oldest of the new colleges and the newest of the old. Downing College was formed "for the encouragement of the study of Law and Medicine and of the cognate subjects of Moral and Natural Science", and has developed a reputation amongst Cambridge colleges for Law and Medicine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keble College, Oxford</span> College of University of Oxford

Keble College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its main buildings are on Parks Road, opposite the University Museum and the University Parks. The college is bordered to the north by Keble Road, to the south by Museum Road, and to the west by Blackhall Road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford</span> College of the University of Oxford

Lady Margaret Hall (LMH) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, located on a bank of the River Cherwell at Norham Gardens in north Oxford and adjacent to the University Parks. The college is more formally known under its current royal charter as "The Principal and Fellows of the College of the Lady Margaret in the University of Oxford".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lincoln College, Oxford</span> College of the University of Oxford

Lincoln College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford, situated on Turl Street in central Oxford. Lincoln was founded in 1427 by Richard Fleming, the then bishop of Lincoln.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Queen's College, Oxford</span> College of the University of Oxford

The Queen's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, England. The college was founded in 1341 by Robert de Eglesfield in honour of Philippa of Hainault, queen of England. It is distinguished by its predominantly neoclassical architecture, primarily dating from the 18th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regent's Park College, Oxford</span> Permanent private hall of the University of Oxford

Regent's Park College is a permanent private hall of the University of Oxford, situated in central Oxford, just off St Giles', England, United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Anne's College, Oxford</span> College of Oxford University, England

St Anne's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. It was founded in 1879 and gained full college status in 1959. Originally a women's college, it has admitted men since 1979. It has some 450 undergraduate and 200 graduate students and retains an original aim of allowing women of any financial background to study at Oxford. It still has a student base with a higher than average proportion of female students. The college stands between Woodstock and Banbury roads, next to the University Parks. In April 2017, Helen King, a retired Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner, took over as Principal from Tim Gardam. Former members include Danny Alexander, Edwina Currie, Ruth Deech, Helen Fielding, William MacAskill, Amanda Pritchard, Simon Rattle, Tina Brown, Mr Hudson and Victor Ubogu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Catherine's College, Oxford</span> College of the University of Oxford

St Catherine's College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford. In 1974, it was also one of the first men's colleges to admit women. It has 528 undergraduate students, 385 graduate students and 37 visiting students as of December 2020, making it one of the largest colleges in either Oxford or Cambridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wadham College, Oxford</span> College of the University of Oxford

Wadham College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is located in the centre of Oxford, at the intersection of Broad Street and Parks Road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Selwyn College, Cambridge</span> College of the University of Cambridge

Selwyn College, Cambridge is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college was founded in 1882 by the Selwyn Memorial Committee in memory of George Augustus Selwyn (1809–1878), the first Bishop of New Zealand (1841–1868), and subsequently Bishop of Lichfield (1868–1878). Its main buildings consist of three courts built of stone and brick. There are several secondary buildings, including adjacent townhouses and lodges serving as student hostels on Grange Road, West Road and Sidgwick Avenue. The college has some 60 fellows and 110 non-academic staff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Churchill College, Cambridge</span> College of the University of Cambridge

Churchill College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. It has a primary focus on science, engineering and technology, but retains a strong interest in the arts and humanities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magdalene College, Cambridge</span> College of the University of Cambridge

Magdalene College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college was founded in 1428 as a Benedictine hostel, in time coming to be known as Buckingham College, before being refounded in 1542 as the College of St Mary Magdalene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emmanuel College, Cambridge</span> College of the University of Cambridge

Emmanuel College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college was founded in 1584 by Sir Walter Mildmay, Chancellor of the Exchequer to Elizabeth I. The site on which the college sits was once a priory for Dominican monks, and the College Hall is built on the foundations of the monastery's nave. Emmanuel is one of the 16 "old colleges", which were founded before the 17th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corpus Christi College, Cambridge</span> College of the University of Cambridge, founded 1352

Corpus Christi College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. From the late 14th century to the early 19th century it was also commonly known as St Benet's College.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queens' College, Cambridge</span> College of University of Cambridge

Queens' College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Queens' is one of the 16 "old colleges" of the university, founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou. Its buildings span the River Cam with the Mathematical Bridge and Silver Street connecting the two sides.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trevelyan College, Durham</span> College of Durham University

Trevelyan College is a college of Durham University, England. Founded in 1966, the college takes its name from social historian George Macaulay Trevelyan, Chancellor of the university from 1950 to 1957. Originally an all-female college, the college became fully mixed in 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newnham College, Cambridge</span> College of the University of Cambridge

Newnham College is a women's constituent college of the University of Cambridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge</span> Constituent college of the University of Cambridge

Gonville and Caius College, often referred to simply as Caius, is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1348 by Edmund Gonville, it is the fourth-oldest of the University of Cambridge's 31 colleges and one of the wealthiest. In 1557, it was refounded by alumnus John Caius. The college has been attended by many students who have gone on to significant accomplishment, including fifteen Nobel Prize winners, the highest of any Oxbridge college.

References

  1. University of Cambridge (6 March 2019). "Notice by the Editor". Cambridge University Reporter . 149 (Special No 5): 1. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
  2. 1 2 "Student Numbers by College". Information Hub. University of Cambridge. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  3. "Accounts for the year ended 30 June 2021" (PDF). Robinson College, Cambridge. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  4. Historic England. "Robinson College, Cambridge (Grade II*) (1482703)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  5. Woodman, Ellis (20 November 2008). "The 50 most inspiring buildings in Britain". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  6. benedge (24 June 2015). "Chapel". Robinson College. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  7. benedge (24 June 2015). "About". Robinson College. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  8. Archived 5 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  9. benedge (24 June 2015). "Gardens". Robinson College. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  10. "About Us | Robinson College Students' Association". Rcsa.co.uk. 30 October 2012. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  11. Archived 27 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  12. "Brickhouse Theatre Company – The theatre company of Robinson College, Cambridge". srcf.net. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015.
  13. As listed on Robinson College cards found in the Porters' Lodge.
  14. [ dead link ]

52°12′17″N0°06′17″E / 52.2048°N 0.1047°E / 52.2048; 0.1047 (Robinson College)