Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-dfsvx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-25T12:56:44.653Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

SECTION II

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 March 2012

Get access

Summary

The king's intentions to fortify Cambridge.

A. D. 1266. 50 Hen. III.

Heavy were the times now and tumultuous betwixt the king and his barons, mutually taking cities and castles one from another. The king therefore came to Cambridge (the pass out of the west into Norfolk and Suffolk) resolving to fortify the same. Indeed we find some ancient writings which may probably insinuate Cambridge to be walled time out of mind: as where we read in a charter of privileges granted to the town, “extra muros burgi de Cantabrig.” Except some will be so morose to expound it only the the walls of private houses therein. However, at the present such walls (if any) are utterly decayed.

Ditch made: wails meant.

Liber Barnwellens., Polydor. Virgil., et Leland.

2. The north-west part of Cambridge beyond the river (formerly farther extended than now of days) the king found sufficiently secured by an impregnable castle. The west side of the town was competently fenced with the river, anciently (before all endeavours of draining the fens) wider and deeper than now it is. Only the south and east of the town lay open, which the king intended to fortify. In order whereunto he built two gates, Trumpington-gate by St. Peter's Church, now ruined, on the south; Barnwell-gate, by St. Andrew's Church, now decayed, on the east. And because gates without walls are but compliments in matter of strength, he intended to wall the town about, if time had permitted him.

Type
Chapter
Information
The History of the University of Cambridge
From the Conquest to the Year 1634
, pp. 40 - 95
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2009
First published in: 1840

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×