King's College, Cambridge

King's College is one of the colleges that make up the University of Cambridge. It was founded in 1441 by King Henry VI and is located next to the River Cam in the heart of Cambridge city.

Originally, King's only accepted students from Eton College, another school founded by Henry VI. However, work on the college was delayed for many years due to wars and lack of money. Building finally resumed under King Henry VII and the famous King's College Chapel was completed in 1544 during the time of Henry VIII.

The King's College Chapel is famous for its beautiful late English Gothic style of architecture. It features the world's largest fan vault and has wonderful stained-glass windows. Every year on Christmas Eve, a special service called the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is broadcast from the chapel to listeners all over the world.

History

Foundation

On February 12, 1441, King Henry VI created a college at Cambridge for a leader and 12 poor scholars. The college was named after Saint Nicholas, whose feast day was the day Henry was born. The first stone of the college's Old Court was placed by the King on April 2, 1441.

Henry published the college's first rules in 1443. His original plan was changed, and plans were made for a larger community of 70 fellows and scholars. Henry had learned about William of Wykeham's foundations of New College, Oxford, and Winchester College, and wanted his own college to be even bigger. King Henry had founded Eton College in 1440, but until 1443, King's and Eton were not connected. That year, their relationship was changed. A second royal charter re-founded King's College on July 12, 1443. On September 1, 1444, the Provosts of King's and Eton signed an agreement.

Members of King's were to be chosen only from Eton. Each year, the provost and two fellows went to Eton to choose the best boys to fill any open spots at the college. Being a member of King's was for life. Scholars could become fellows after three years. Students at King's did not have to pass university exams to get their degree. Every fellow was to study theology, except for two who studied astronomy, two civil law, four canon law, and two medicine. In 1445, a Papal Bull exempted college members from parish duties.

Henry VI, Henry VII and Henry VIII

The original plans for Old Court were too small for the larger college community, so in 1443 Henry VI began to buy the land where the modern college now stands. The gateway and south part of Old Court had already been built, but the rest was completed temporarily until the new court was ready. The new college site was left unfinished, and the "temporary" Old Court buildings served as the permanent homes of the college until the early 19th century. Henry's grand plan for the new college buildings survives in the 1448 Founder's Will. The new college site was to be centered around a large courtyard, bordered on all sides by buildings.

The first stone of the chapel was placed by the King on July 25, 1446. The King encouraged support for the college. Within ten years Henry's involvement in the Wars of the Roses meant that funds began to run out. By the time of Henry's removal in 1461, the chapel walls had been built 60 ft high at the east end but only 8 ft at the west. Work continued slowly until 1508 when the Founder's nephew Henry VII was asked to finish the shell of the building. The inside had to wait another generation until completion in 1544 with the help of Henry VIII. The chapel was the only part of Henry VI's Founder's Will to be built.

Front Court completed

The college stayed as the Old Court, chapel and a few small surrounding buildings for nearly two hundred years until in 1724 the architect James Gibbs provided a new plan to complete the courtyard of which the chapel formed the north side. Although his design was for the courtyard to be closed by three similar separate Neoclassical buildings, due to lack of funds only the western one was built. The first stone of what became known as the Gibbs' Building was placed by Provost Andrew Snape, on March 25, 1723 and the building finished six years later.

Front Court was finally completed in 1828 under plans by William Wilkins. The courtyard was closed by a screen and gatehouse to the east; and rooms either side of a hall to the south. All these buildings were built in the Gothic Revival style. With the courtyard to the south of the chapel now able to hold the college, the land to the north was sold to the university in 1828. The university tore down most of the original Old Court buildings. Only the gateway arch opposite Clare College remains. The buildings are now used for the main offices of the university.

Victorian reforms and expansion

Under the leadership of Richard Okes, from 1850 until his death in 1888, the college began a time of change. On May 1, 1851 it was decided to end the special right of King's members to get a degree without passing the university exams. In 1861 the college rules were changed to grow the college and to allow the choosing of non-Etonian King's members. At the same time all formal need to become priests was removed. The rules were changed again in 1882. In his 1930 book, an alumnus of King's remembered the strange actions of some of the remaining Life Fellows from his student years. The first non-Etonian students were allowed to study at King's in 1865, and the first non-Etonian scholars and the first non-Etonian fellow were chosen in 1873. These changes continued over the next years and there are now no special rights for Etonians at King's.

Growing the college through the 1861 rules needed more building work to hold the larger group. In 1869, the area along King's Parade between the Wilkins' Buildings and King's Lane was built on after a design by George Gilbert Scott. When finished a year later, the new courtyard formed was named after Walter Chetwynd, a fellow of the college. However, after later plans to grow college rooms failed, King's began talks to join with St Catharine's College. Although St Catharine's had been created by Robert Woodlark, the college decided not to combine. Finally, in 1893, the east and south parts of another new courtyard within King's — designed by George Frederick Bodley and looking over the river — were finished.

20th century

In 1909, the south part of a third new courtyard — named after its architect Aston Webb — was built south of the library. In 1927, designs by G. L. Kennedy finished Bodley's Court with a new northern part.

In 1930, a Cambridge Borough Police officer was shot and killed by a student who also shot his teacher.

On September 1, 1939, the day of the German invasion of Poland, permission was asked from the College Council to take the stained glass from the east window of the chapel. By the end of 1941, all the old glass had been moved to various cellars in Cambridge for safety. Even though most of the chapel's windows were covered, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols continued to be broadcast from the chapel every Christmas Eve during the war. King's used these years to clean, fix and photograph the glass. By 1949, all the windows had been put back.

In 1961, the property millionaire Alfred Ernest Allnatt offered King's the Adoration of the Magi by Peter Paul Rubens, which he had bought in 1959 for a world-record price. The college accepted "this generous gift" with the plan to show the painting in the chapel. The painting was first shown in the antechapel but a large group of the fellows were set on having the painting become the center of a completely redesigned east end. As the first step of this project, the Edwardian reredos and 17th-century wood panels were taken down and the Rubens placed in their place behind the altar in April 1964. The newly redesigned east end opened in 1968.

The last main building to be built by the college was the Keynes Building, finished in 1967 and named after the former college bursar John Maynard Keynes. This building closed in Chetwynd Court along with the Wilkins' and Scott's buildings, and provided more than 70 rooms with bathrooms along with other places.

The college, like most others at the university, had been only for men since it was created. However, in 1972, under the provost Edmund Leach, King's together with Churchill and Clare became the first three colleges that had only been for men to allow women.

21st century

In June 2018, Priyamvada Gopal said she was treated unfairly by college staff at the gate of King's College, Cambridge. Gopal said she was treated unfairly and hurtfully by the staff and guards of King's. As a result of the attention this got, Cambridge University students spoke up about similar experiences.

Henry VI is not fully forgotten at the college. The Saturday after the end of Michaelmas term each year is Founder's Day, which starts with a Founder's Eucharist in the chapel, followed by a Founder's Breakfast with beer and ending with a big dinner in his memory called "Founder's Feast" to which all members of college in their third year of studying are invited.

Buildings and grounds

Chapel

Main article: King's College Chapel, Cambridge

The College Chapel is a beautiful example of late Gothic architecture. It was built over 100 years, from 1446 to 1531. The chapel has the world's largest fan vault ceiling, 26 big stained-glass windows, and a famous painting called the Adoration of the Magi by Peter Paul Rubens as its altarpiece.

The chapel is used for worship and special events. The Chapel choir includes organ scholars, choral scholars, and choristers from the nearby King's College School. The choir sings almost every day during term-time and also gives concerts, makes recordings, and broadcasts. It is especially famous for broadcasting Nine Lessons and Carols on the BBC every Christmas Eve. There is also a mixed-voice choir called King's Voices that sings evensong on Monday evenings during term-time.

Front Court

Front Court is the main open space at King's College. It is surrounded by important buildings: the chapel to the north, the Gibbs Building to the west, Wilkins's hall to the south, and Wilkins's screen to the east. In the middle of the lawn stands a fountain from 1874 to 1879, with bronze statues of King Henry VI, Religion, and Philosophy. Another lawn separates the screen from King's Parade.

Lawn, Backs and Bodley's Buildings

To the west of the Gibbs Building is a lawn where King Henry VI once planned to build a cloister. Next to it is Clare College, and further south are Wilkins's buildings, including the library. In 2020, part of the lawn became a wildflower meadow, which helped increase local wildlife. A bridge from 1819 crosses the River Cam to the Backs. Bodley's Buildings, built between 1890 and 1893, connect the former provost's lodge to the river.

Library

Since it was founded, King's College has had a library for its students. It holds around 130,000 books, some for learning and others that are rare and special. Students and teachers can suggest new books for the library. The library has Wi-Fi and computers, and special collections like a Music Library and a Global Warming collection.

Webb's Court

Webb's Court is south of the library and close to Queens' College. It was built between 1907 and 1909 and follows the style of Bodley's Buildings. It has a gate to Queens' Lane. To the west is the provost's lodge, built between 1926 and 1929.

Keynes Building and Chetwynd Court

East of Webb's Court are the buildings from 1964 to 1968, known as the Cats and Kings development. These were built with St Catherine's College. On King's Parade is the Chetwynd Building, built by George Gilbert Scott between 1871 and 1873.

Academic profile

King's College at the University of Cambridge is known for its good schoolwork. In 2019, it was one of the best colleges in the university, and many students get top grades.

The college offers many courses for students to study different subjects. It has many teachers and students, making it a friendly place to learn.

Admissions

King's has welcomed students from many types of schools, including those that are not private. This has helped make the college fair to everyone. The college has a special helper for students and schools to learn more about studying there.

Entrepreneurship and business

King's has started programs to help students who want to start their own businesses or learn more about business. These programs have support from successful people and extra money to help them grow. The college has many famous graduates who have done great things in business and invention.

Student life

King's College has student groups for both undergraduate and graduate students. These groups help students join in important decisions at the college and the university. Students at King's are known for taking part in political talks and events.

Students can book rooms around the college for events for different groups, such as politics, maths, history, and economics. The main bar at King's is a popular place for social gatherings, open mic nights, and informal talks among students. There is also a second bar called the Bunker, which sometimes has music nights, dance events, and drama shows.

Instead of a big formal ball in May, King's holds an annual event called The King's Affair in June. This fun event, where students often wear fancy dress, draws around 1,500 people and includes live music from different artists. There are also big student parties at the end of each term called Mingles.

Sports

King's has many sports clubs, both competitive and casual. The King's College Boat Club is very popular and has done well in rowing competitions. Another well-known club is the King's Mountaineering and Kayaking Association, which offers students chances to go climbing, walking, and kayaking on the River Cam. The college's rugby team works with two other colleges and is called CCK. The club's logo shows an elephant, which is a symbol of wisdom.

Music

King's College is famous for its Choir of King's College, Cambridge, which began in the 15th century. The choir is well-known for its beautiful singing and has traveled around the world. In 2013, the choir started its own record label to have more control over its music.

Another choir at King's is King's Voices, started in 1997 so that women could also sing in the college's services. This mixed-voice choir sings special services each week and performs at many college events. The choir has worked with other famous musicians and has been part of important recordings and broadcasts.

People associated with King's

See also: Alumni of King's College, Cambridge; Fellows of King's College, Cambridge; and List of Honorary Fellows of King's College, Cambridge

King's College has had many famous students and teachers. Some became important leaders, scientists, writers, and artists. For example, Robert Walpole, the first Prime Minister of Great Britain, and Alan Turing, a famous mathematician who helped create modern computing, both studied at King's.

The college also has many Nobel Prize winners among its students and teachers. These include Frederick Sanger, who won two Nobel Prizes in Chemistry, and Patrick Blackett, who won a Nobel Prize in Physics. These achievements show how King's has helped change the world in many ways.

Nobel laureates

There are nine Nobel Prize winners who were students or teachers at King's:

• Charles Glover Barkla won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1917.
• Patrick Blackett won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1948.
• Frederick Sanger won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1958 and another Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1980.
• Philip Noel-Baker won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1959.
• Patrick White won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1973.
• Richard Stone won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 1984.
• Sydney Brenner won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2002.
• Oliver Hart won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 2016.
• Geoffrey Hinton won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2024.

Provosts

Main article: List of Provosts of King's College, Cambridge

The head of King's College is called the Provost. The current Provost, as of 2023^[update], is Dr Gillian Tett.

Visitor

The visitor of the college is the Bishop of Lincoln.

Arms

King's College has its own special symbols and designs. These are called arms. They are used to show the college in a proud way. The arms have images and colors that mean a lot to the history and values of King's College.