From its origins in the thirteenth century the University of Cambridge has attracted notable students and teachers, both brilliant and eccentric. From Erasmus to Bertrand Russell, the university has been at the forefront of philosophical inquiry. Actors and directors like Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Peter Hall have earned Cambridge a reputation for theatrical excellence, while the colleges have welcomed many poets, including Milton and Wordsworth, Byron and Tennyson, Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes.
During the twentieth century the city surrounding the university grew rapidly as a once small fenland town became a magnet for high-tech industries. But there are still quiet courts and green spaces-Parker's Piece, Midsummer Common, Jesus Green, and the Backs. Here is to be found Henry James' "confusion of Gothic windows and ancient trees, of grassy banks and mossy balustrades, of sun-chequered avenues and groves, of lawns and gardens and terraces."
Martin Garrett explores the buildings and streets of Cambridge, revealing the literature, history and personalities of this culturally rich city.
