Several years ago the Editor of the College Monographs conceived the idea of a series of volumes dealing separately with the Colleges of our two ancient Universities; since then many historical and illustrated works carrying out, in some degree, this idea have been published.

But the Editor believes that there is still a need for a set of short, well-written, and illustrated handbooks of moderate price.

The College Monographs, of which this volume is the first, have been planned to supply this need. They are written by members of the society with which they are concerned, and aim at giving (1) a concise description of the buildings, (2) a recital of the origin and history of the community, (3) an account of collegiate life, manners, and customs, both past and present, and (4) a record of distinguished sons; while each volume will contain about fifteen illustrations of the most beautiful and characteristic buildings, as well as a plan showing the periods to which they belong.

It is confidently hoped that the series will prove attractive to members of the University, and to all who are interested in the several groups of College buildings, whether for their own sake or on account of their many and varied associations.

THUS far I have been concerned chiefly with the buildings of the College. We must now turn to the history of the Society that occupies them. The following pages are summarised from a sketch on the subject which I wrote for my pupils in 1899.

I have already stated that the history of Trinity College is closely connected with that of King's Hall and Michael-House. It will be convenient to preface what I have to say about those ancient foundations by a few words on the medieval University of which they formed a part.

The University of Cambridge originated about the end of the twelfth century. At first the students lived in lodgings, but, by the close of the medieval period, we find all, or nearly all, of them living in Monastic Hostels, Colleges, or Private Hostels. Of these the Colleges alone survived the Renaissance. The Monastic Hostels were maintained by religious orders for the reception of those of their members who were studying at the University. These ceased to exist with the suppression of the mother houses at the Reformation. Private Hostels were for the reception of Pensioners, i.e. of students who paid their own expenses, which for an average student came then to from £9 to £14 a year. A private hostel was managed by a master of arts who lived in it; it resembled in some respects a boarding-house at a modern public school, and maintained a continuous life.

THUS far I have described the general external appearance of the College to any one who walked through its Courts and walks, and I refrained from interrupting my narrative by describing the interiors of the various buildings we passed. I devote this chapter to giving a short account of the interior aspects of the Chapel, Hall, Combination Rooms, Kitchens, and Library.

When walking round the Great Court we passed on its north side the porch leading into the Chapel. Entering by this, we find the interior divided in two unequal parts, the east end being fitted up for worship, the west end forming an Ante-Chapel into which the door from the Great Court leads. The two portions are divided by a screen on the top of which is built the organ. The present building, which is on the site of the Chapel of King's Hall, was finished about 1567, and it is believed that the fittings with which it was then furnished were taken from the Chapel of King's Hall. The present stalls, panel-work, baldachino, and organ-screen were inserted at the beginning of the eighteenth century ; there is a tradition that the old stalls were then moved to St. Michael's Church in Trinity Street.

The Chapel is of poor design, and in 1870 it was proposed to rebuild it.