Clare Bridge, Cambridge
Clare Bridge is a delightful and picturesque stone bridge across the River Cam in Cambridge in the area known as the Backs, in the University of Cambridge.
History
Clare College Bridge, to give it its full name, was built between 1639 and 1640, making it the oldest bridge in Cambridge. It connects the Old Court of the Clare College on the east bank with the college gardens and new campus on the west.
Constructed mostly out of limestone, it is one of the earliest bridges in England built in the new Classical style. It is 75 feet long with three 21 feet arches. It is 14 feet wide between the balustrades, on top of which are perched large stone balls, one of which is missing a segment. Two stories, neither of which are proven, account for this anomaly.
The bridge is attributed to Thomas Grumbold, but it is not clear whether he was the designer or just the draughtsman. He was paid 3 shillings for his drawings of the bridge, and so one theory is that he was dissatisfied with the paltry sum and so left the bridge unfinished. Another theory is that at the time taxes were not paid on incomplete structures, and so was left unfinished.
Numerous bridges crossed the Cam at the time the Clare Bridge was built, but many of them were dismantled under orders of Thomas Cromwell during the Civil War, and the stone used to shore up the defenses of Cambridge Castle.
Old Court, Trinity Lane, Cambridge CB21TL
Nearby
Cambridge is best explored on foot, by bicycle or on the river in a punt. Other attractions in town are the University Botanical Gardens, the Fitzwilliam Museum on Trumpington Street, the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology on Downing Street, the Scott Polar Research Institute (Polar Museum) on Lensfield Road and the Whipple Museum of the History of Science on Free School Lane.
Other popular colleges for tourists are King's College, Clare College and Trinity College.
The Bridge of Sighs at St. John's College is another well-known bridge in the town, perhaps the most famous of all the bridges in Cambridge. The Mathematical Bridge is a wooden footbridge over the River Cam in Cambridge that connects two parts of Queen's College.
Hotels
If you wish to stay in Cambridge there are several good options. These include the three-star Holiday Inn Express Cambridge, the three-star ibis Cambridge Central Station and the four-star Ramada Cambridge, a 20-minute drive from the centre.
Hotels in Cambridge
Cambridge Accommodation - Booking.com
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