University of Cambridge History

University(ˌyo͞onəˈvərsədē) of Cambridge(ˈkāmbrij) History

The University of Cambridge is rich in history - its famous Colleges(ˈkälij) and University buildings attract(əˈtrakt) visitors from all over the world. But the University’s museums(myo͞oˈzēəm) and collections also hold many treasures(ˈtreZHər) which give an exciting(ikˈsītiNG) insight into some of the scholarly(ˈskälərlē) activities, both past and present, of the University’s academics(ˌakəˈdemik) and students.

The University of Cambridge is one of the world’s oldest universities and leading(ˈlediNG,ˈlēdiNG) academic centres, and a self-governed(ˈgəvərn) community of scholars. Its reputation(ˌrepyəˈtāSHən) for outstanding academic achievement is known world-wide and reflects(riˈflekt) the intellectual(ˌintlˈekCHo͞oəl) achievement of its students, as well as the world-class original(əˈrijənl) research carried out by the staff of the University and the Colleges.

Many of the University’s customs(ˈkəstəmz) and unusual terminology(ˌtərməˈnäləjē) can be traced to roots in the early years of the University’s long history, and this booklet(ˈbo͝oklit) looks to the past to find the origins(ˈôrəjən) of much that is distinctive(disˈtiNGktiv) in the University of today.

When we first come across Cambridge in written(ˈritn) records(ˈrekərd), it was already a considerable town. The bridge across the River Cam or Granta, from which the town took its name, had existed(iɡˈzist) since at least(lēst) 875. The town was an important trading(ˈtrādiNG) centre before the Domesday(ˈdo͞omzˌdā) survey(sərˈvā) was compiled in 1086, by which time a castle(ˈkasəl) stood on the rising(ˈrīziNG) ground to the north of the bridge, and there were already substantial(səbˈstanCHəl) commercial(kəˈmərSHəl) and residential(ˌrezəˈdenCHəl) properties as well as several(ˈsev(ə)rəl) churches(CHərCH) in the main settlement(ˈsetlmənt) which lay south of the bridge.

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https://www.cam.ac.uk/about-the-university/history