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 on a site north of the modern college, which was a garden belonging to Trinity Hall.

Henry published the college's first rules in 1443. His original simple plan for the college was changed, and plans were made for a larger community of 70 fellows and scholars led by a provost. 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 to be like Wykeham's successful colleges, and the sizes of King's and Eton were increased to be bigger than Wykeham's. A second royal charter re-founded the now much larger King's College on July 12, 1443. On September 1, 1444, the Provosts of King's and Eton and the Wardens of Winchester and New College signed an agreement to support one another legally and financially.

Members of King's were to be chosen only from Eton. Each year, the provost and two fellows went to Eton to fairly choose the best boys to fill any open spots at the college, always keeping the total number of scholars and fellows at exactly 70. Being a member of King's was for life. Scholars could be chosen to become fellows after three years, even if they had not finished their degree. Students at King's — unlike those from other colleges — did not have to pass university exams to get their degree and only had to satisfy the college. Every fellow was to study theology, except for two who studied astronomy, two civil law, four canon law, and two medicine; all fellows except those studying secular subjects had to become priests, or they would be expelled. In 1445, a Papal Bull exempted college members from parish duties, and in 1457, an agreement limited the chancellor's authority and gave the college full control over its internal matters.

Henry VI, Henry VII and Henry VIII

The original plans for Old Court were too small for the larger college community of the second founding, 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, arranged to hold 70 people, 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, which describes his vision in detail. The new college site was to be centered around a large courtyard, bordered on all sides by buildings: a chapel to the north; rooms and the entrance gate to the east; more rooms and the provost's home to the south; and a library, hall and kitchen to the west. Behind the hall and kitchen was to be another courtyard, and behind the library a cloistered cemetery including a magnificent bell tower.

The first stone of the chapel was placed by the King on July 25, 1446. The King encouraged support for the college. In 1448, John Conches, former prior of Wootton Wawen, gave the priory's lands to "John Chedworth provost of the king's college of St. Mary and St. Nicholas Cantebrigge and the scholars thereof, and to their successors." 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; a line which can still be seen today as the border between the lighter stone below and the darker above. 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.

It has been thought that the choice of the college as a beneficiary by the two later Henrys was a political one, with Henry VII in particular wanting to support a new, post-civil war Tudor regime by showing support for what was by definition the King's College. Later building work on the chapel is marked by the Tudor rose and other symbols of the new establishment, quite against the exact instructions of the Founder's Will.

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, at the time also vice-chancellor of the university, 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. The southern buildings continued towards the river with a library and Provost's lodge. All these buildings were, at the college's request, built in the Gothic Revival style rather than Wilkins's preferred Neoclassical.

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. It has been wrongly claimed that this was the site of the world's first bonsai tree, grown in King's College in the mid 18th century. The university tore down most of the original Old Court buildings to make room for an addition to the University Library; only the gateway arch opposite Clare College remains. The library later moved away from this site, known as the Old Schools, and 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, more importantly, to allow the choosing of non-Etonian King's members: the new rules provided for 46 Fellows, 24 scholarships for boys from Eton, and 24 "open" scholarships for boys from any school. At the same time all formal need to become priests — not enforced since the 17th century — was removed. The rules were changed again in 1882, this time making sure fellowships were not always for life and were given based on merit after presentations of original research. In his 1930 book As We Were, A Victorian Peep Show, E. F. Benson, an alumnus of King's, remembered the strange actions of some of the remaining Life Fellows from his student years of 1887–1890 and before. 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 (sometimes spelled Wodelarke), a Provost of King's, 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, and Webb's Court with a new Provost's Lodge on its west side.

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

On September 1, 1939, the day of the German invasion of Poland and the reason for the UK's entry into World War II, 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 with sheets of tar-paper, which made loud noises in the wind, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols continued to be broadcast from the chapel every Christmas Eve during the war — though the name of the college could not be broadcast for safety. 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, possibly as an altar piece. The painting was first shown in the antechapel but a large group of the fellows — including Michael Jaffé and the Provost Noel Annan — were set on having the painting become the center of a completely redesigned east end planned by the architect Sir Martyn Beckett, who was "okay with the fuss this caused — which quickly turned into accepting a solution to a hard problem."

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 painting was so large that the raised floor of the chapel's east end, needed by the 1448 Founder's Will, would have to be levelled to stop the baroque artwork from hiding the bottom of the Tudor east window. However 20 fellows and the guest fellow E. M. Forster signed a letter asking the college to change its plan and "admit that it has made a mistake"; the levelling of the floor still happened. The newly redesigned east end opened in 1968 and proved very debated, with the Architects' Journal calling it "driven not by the needs of church services but by those of museum display."

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 and said staff often stopped and questioned non-white staff and students at the gates. While several students and staff said the same thing, a King's College spokeswoman said the staff did nothing wrong. As a result of the attention this got, Cambridge University students spoke up about similar experiences. Gopal said she got hurtful messages after she spoke up. Gopal said she would stop helping students at King's until there was a solution to the long-standing problem.

In 2024, the grass between the college and King's Parade was the place for a protest made by students against the Israel-Gaza war, and to ask that the college sell off any money that may help support the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

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, in three stages. 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 for special college 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 but are not very popular today because of some problems. 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 strong academic work. In 2019, it was ranked 12th out of 29 colleges in the university, with about one-third of its students earning top grades.

The college offers most of the university’s courses for students who want to study for many different subjects. It also has many teachers and a good number of students, making it a friendly place to learn.

Admissions

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

Entrepreneurship and business

In recent years, King's has started programs to help students who are interested in starting their own businesses or learning 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 its own student groups for both undergraduate and graduate students. These groups help students take part in important decisions at the college and the university. Students at King's are known for being very active in political discussions and events.

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

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 had success 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 partners with two other colleges and is called CCK. The club's logo features an elephant, which is a symbol of wisdom.

Music

King's College is known for its famous Choir of King's College, Cambridge, started in the 15th century. This choir is very famous for its beautiful singing and has traveled all over the world. In 2013, the choir started its own record label so it could make more of its own choices about its music.

Another choir at King's is King's Voices, which was 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 many famous people who studied or worked there. Some of these people 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 counts many winners of the Nobel Prize among its alumni and teachers. These include Frederick Sanger, who won two Nobel Prizes in Chemistry for his work on proteins, and Patrick Blackett, who won a Nobel Prize in Physics. These achievements show how King's has helped shape the world in many fields.

Nobel laureates

There are nine Nobel laureates who were either students or fellows of King's:

• Charles Glover Barkla was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics 1917 "for his discovery of the characteristic Röntgen radiation of the elements".
• Patrick Blackett, fellow of King's, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics 1948 "for his development of the Wilson cloud chamber method, and his discoveries therewith in the fields of nuclear physics and cosmic radiation".
• Frederick Sanger, fellow of King's, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1958 "for his work on the structure of proteins, especially that of insulin". Sanger was awarded his second Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1980 jointly with Walter Gilbert for "their contributions concerning the determination of base sequences in nucleic acids". Sanger is one of only five people to have won a Nobel Prize twice, and the only affiliate of the University of Cambridge to have done so.
• Philip Noel-Baker was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 1959 for work towards global disarmament.
• Patrick White was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature 1973 "for an epic and psychological narrative art which has introduced a new continent into literature".
• Richard Stone, fellow of King's, was awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences 1984 "for having made fundamental contributions to the development of systems of national accounts and hence greatly improved the basis for empirical economic analysis".
• Sydney Brenner, fellow of King's, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2002 jointly with H. Robert Horvitz and John E. Sulston "for their discoveries concerning genetic regulation of organ development and programmed cell death".
• Oliver Hart was awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences 2016 jointly with Bengt Holmström "for their contributions to contract theory".
• Geoffrey Hinton was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics 2024 jointly with John Hopfield for using "tools from physics to develop methods that are the foundation of today’s powerful machine learning".

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, a British author and journalist.

Visitor

The visitor of the college is the Bishop of Lincoln.

Arms

King's College has its own special symbols and designs, known as arms. These are often used to represent the college in a proud and traditional way. The arms include images and colors that have special meaning to the history and values of King's College.