The Old Schools are part of the

University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...

, in the centre of

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

. The Old Schools house the Cambridge University Offices, which form the main administration for the University. The building is

Grade I listed In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Hi ...

.Trinity Lane
,

Cambridge City Council Cambridge City Council is the local authority for Cambridge, a non-metropolitan district with city status in the United Kingdom, city status in Cambridgeshire, England. The council has been under Labour Party (UK), Labour majority control since ...

. It is two storeys high with

ashlar Ashlar () is a cut and dressed rock (geology), stone, worked using a chisel to achieve a specific form, typically rectangular in shape. The term can also refer to a structure built from such stones. Ashlar is the finest stone masonry unit, a ...

facing and a parapet above. Within the Old Schools are West Court and Cobble Court. The Old Schools building is located at the end of

Trinity Lane Trinity Lane is a street in the centre of Cambridge, England that passes through portions of the University of Cambridge, one of the world's most prestigious universities.

and is surrounded by other historic university and college buildings. To the north is Gonville and Caius College. To the east is the University of Cambridge Senate House where degree ceremonies are held, on King's Parade. To the south, the scene is dominated by the large

King's College Chapel King's College Chapel is the chapel of King's College in the University of Cambridge. It is considered one of the finest examples of late Perpendicular Gothic English architecture and features the world's largest fan vault. The Chapel was bu ...

. To the west are Trinity Hall and

Clare College Clare College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. The college was founded in 1326 as University Hall, making it the second-oldest surviving college of the University after Peterhouse. It was refounded ...

. The Old Schools Site covers the Old Schools, the Senate House, and Great St Mary's, the University Church.

History

The original building was begun in 1441–4. It formed the Old Court of King's College, but was bought by University and partly demolished in 1829. The west range was completed in 1864–7 by Sir

George Gilbert Scott Sir George Gilbert Scott (13 July 1811 – 27 March 1878), largely known as Sir Gilbert Scott, was a prolific English Gothic Revival architect, chiefly associated with the design, building and renovation of churches and cathedrals, although he ...

and in 1889–90 by

John Loughborough Pearson John Loughborough Pearson (5 July 1817 – 11 December 1897) was a British Gothic Revival architect renowned for his work on churches and cathedrals. Pearson revived and practised largely the art of vaulting, and acquired in it a proficie ...

. The Old Schools formerly housed the

Cambridge University Library Cambridge University Library is the main research library of the University of Cambridge. It is the largest of over 100 libraries Libraries of the University of Cambridge, within the university. The library is a major scholarly resource for me ...

, which has now relocated to the west of the Cambridge city centre, north off West Road Path. The north wing designed by

Charles Robert Cockerell Charles Robert Cockerell (27 April 1788 – 17 September 1863) was an England, English architect, archaeologist, and writer. He studied architecture under Robert Smirke (architect), Robert Smirke. He went on an extended Grand Tour lasting sev ...

and built 1836-7 in a grand classical style was originally part of a scheme to rebuild the entire building.pages 183 to 196, chapter XI 'The Path to Greatness: Cambridge University Library' in David Watkins: ''The Life and Work of C. R. Cockerell'', 1974, Zwemmer

References

{{Commons category, Old Schools, Cambridge, position=left Buildings and structures of the University of Cambridge George Gilbert Scott buildings History of Cambridge University of Cambridge sites