Downing College is a
constituent college
A collegiate university is a university in which functions are divided between a central administration and a number of constituent colleges. Historically, the first collegiate university was the University of Paris and its first college was the C ...
of the
University of Cambridge
, mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts.
Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge.
, established =
, other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
and currently has around 650 students. Founded in 1800, it was the only college to be added to Cambridge University between 1596 and 1869, and is often described as the oldest of the new colleges and the newest of the old. Downing College was formed "for the encouragement of the study of Law and Medicine and of the cognate subjects of Moral and Natural Science", and has developed a reputation amongst Cambridge colleges for Law and Medicine.
Downing has been named one of the two most eco-friendly
Cambridge
Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...
colleges.
History
Upon the death of
Sir George Downing, 3rd Baronet
Sir George Downing, 3rd Baronet (baptised 24 October 1685 – 10 June 1749) was a British landowner and inititially Tory, but later Whig politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1710 and 1749. Through a donation in his will, he was t ...
in 1749, the wealth left by his grandfather,
Sir George Downing, 1st Baronet
Sir George Downing, 1st Baronet ( – 1684) was a statesman, soldier, diplomat and spymaster and preacher, whose allegiances changed significantly during his career, giving his support to Oliver Cromwell and (later, after the Restoration) ...
, who served both
Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three Ki ...
and
Charles II and built
10 Downing Street
10 Downing Street in London, also known colloquially in the United Kingdom as Number 10, is the official residence and executive office of the first lord of the treasury, usually, by convention, the prime minister of the United Kingdom. Along wi ...
(a door formerly from Number 10 is in use in the college), was applied by his will. Under this will, as he had no direct issue (he was legally separated from his wife), the family fortune was left to his cousin,
Sir Jacob Downing, 4th Baronet
Sir Jacob Garrard Downing, 4th Baronet ( – 6 February 1764) was an English baronet and politician. He was the grandson of Sir George Downing, 1st Baronet, namesake of Downing Street; and cousin and heir of Sir George Downing, 3rd Baronet, whos ...
, and if he died without heir, to three cousins in succession. If they all died without issue, the estates were to be used to found a college at Cambridge called Downing.
Sir Jacob died in 1764, and as the other named heirs had also died, the college should have come into existence then, but Sir Jacob's widow, Margaret, refused to give up the estates and the various relatives who were Sir George's legal heirs had to take costly and prolonged action in the
Court of Chancery
The Court of Chancery was a court of equity in England and Wales that followed a set of loose rules to avoid a slow pace of change and possible harshness (or "inequity") of the Common law#History, common law. The Chancery had jurisdiction over ...
to compel her to do so. She died in 1778 but her second husband and the son of her sister continued to resist the heirs-at-law's action until 1800 when the Court decided in favour of Sir George's will and George III granted Downing a Royal Charter, marking the official foundation of the college.
Buildings
![Maitland Robinson Library](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9c/Maitland_Robinson_Library.jpg)
The architect
William Wilkins was commissioned by the trustees of the Downing estate, who included the Master of
Clare College
Clare College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. The college was founded in 1326 as University Hall, making it the second-oldest surviving college of the University after Peterhouse. It was refounded ...
and
St John's College and the Archbishops of
Canterbury
Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour.
...
and
York
York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...
, to design the plan for the college. Wilkins, a disciple of the neo-classical architectural style, designed the first wholly campus-based college plan in the world based on a magnificent entrance on
Downing Street
Downing Street is a street in Westminster in London that houses the official residences and offices of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Situated off Whitehall, it is long, and a few minutes' walk ...
reaching back to form the largest court in Cambridge, extending to
Lensfield Road
Lensfield Road is a road (part of the A603 road, A603) in southeast central Cambridge, England. It runs between the junction of Trumpington Street and Trumpington Road to the west and the junction of Regent Street, Cambridge, Regent Street and H ...
. But this was not to be.
The estate was much reduced by the suit in Chancery, and the grand plans failed. Much of the north side of what was then the Pembroke Leys was sold to the university and is now home to scientific buildings ("The
Downing Site
The Downing Site is a major site of the University of Cambridge, located in the centre of the city of Cambridge, England, on Downing Street and Tennis Court Road, adjacent to Downing College. The Downing Site is the larger and newer of two cit ...
"). In fact, only limited East and West ranges were initially built, with the plans for a library and chapel on the south face of the college shelved.
![Downing College, Cambridge, England - IMG 0610](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Downing_College%2C_Cambridge%2C_England_-_IMG_0610.JPG)
The third side of the square was only completed in 1951 with the building of the college chapel. Where the fourth side would have been is now a large paddock (known simply as "The Paddock"), with many trees. Though not fully enclosed, the court formed before the Downing College is perhaps largest in
Cambridge
Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...
or
Oxford
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
(a title contested with
Trinity College's Great Court). An urban legend amongst Cambridge students claims that
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the F ...
pays an undisclosed sum to the college annually with the condition that it will never build the fourth side of the square, so that Trinity may maintain the distinction of having the largest enclosed court of all colleges of Cambridge.
The most recent building additions are the Howard Lodge accommodation, the Howard Building, and most recent of all the Howard Theatre which opened in 2010. These were sponsored by the
Howard Foundation and are located behind the main court around their own small garden. These facilities are used for conference and businesses gatherings outside the student term.
Heong Gallery
The Heong Gallery, opened in February 2016, is a modern and contemporary art gallery at Downing. It is named for Alwyn Heong, an alumnus of the college, who is a supporter of the visual arts. The conversion of a stables building by
Caruso St John
Caruso St John is a London-based architectural firm established in 1990 by Adam Caruso and Peter St John.
Practice
Caruso St John gained international recognition for its designs of public spaces. The practice came to public attention with Th ...
won a RIBA regional award.
Student life
Downing students remain prominent in the university world; in the past few years
Cambridge Union
The Cambridge Union Society, also known as the Cambridge Union, is a debating and free speech society in Cambridge, England, and the largest society in the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1815, it is the oldest continuously running debatin ...
Presidents, Blues captains, Law and Economic Society Presidents and more have hailed from the college. Downing has a particular reputation for law.
''The Griffin'' has been the undergraduate student magazine for over 100 years.
Sport
The college fields teams in a range of sports including, men's football, men's and women's rugby, tennis and
Ultimate Frisbee
Ultimate, originally known as ultimate Frisbee, is a non-contact team sport played with a frisbee flung by hand. Ultimate was developed in 1968 by AJ Gator in Maplewood, New Jersey. Although ultimate resembles many traditional sports in its ath ...
.
Downing College Boat Club
Downing College Boat Club (or DCBC) is the rowing club for members of Downing College, Cambridge. Downing men have not been below the top 9 boats for over 3 decades, on occasion being the only boat club with a second boat in the first division, ...
is successful too, with the Women's first boat gaining
Lents Headship of the river in 2004 and most recently in
2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
, and the Mays Headship in the 2014 and 2015
May Bumps
The May Bumps (also May Races, Mays) are a set of rowing races, held annually on the River Cam in Cambridge, England. They began in 1887 after separating from the Lent Bumps, the equivalent bumping races held at the end of February or start of M ...
. The men's first boat has held the headship several times in the 1980s and 1990s (for example in 1994 to 1996) while gaining the Mays headship in 1996
and the Lents Headship in 2014, on each occasion recognising the tradition of "burning the boat" (using an old wooden 8 oared boat), while the rowers of the winning boat jump the flames. They both currently hold positions at or near the top in both University bumps races
ents and Mays
Gallery
File:View towards East Range small3.jpg, East Range, Downing College, November 2006
File:The Paddock, Downing College - geograph.org.uk - 865853.jpg, The Paddock, the green space between the trees. The church on the skyline is on Lensfield Road.
File:Downing College, Cambridge - geograph.org.uk - 1061660.jpg, North east view of the lawns outside the chapel.
File:Howard Building, Downing College - Feb 2009.JPG, The Howard Building
File:J Block at Downing - geograph.org.uk - 434481.jpg, J Block accommodation
File:The Kenny building - geograph.org.uk - 434479.jpg, The Kenny Building
File:Sundial, Downing College, Cambridge, England - DSCF2191.JPG, A sundial commemorating the bicentenary of the college
File:Ai Weiwei Trees Downing College B.jpg, Ai Weiwei
Ai Weiwei (, ; born 28 August 1957) is a Chinese contemporary artist, documentarian, and activist. Ai grew up in the far northwest of China, where he lived under harsh conditions due to his father's exile. As an activist, he has been openly c ...
Trees, part of a 2016 exhibition at the Heong Gallery
File:Downing College Sports Ground in the snow - geograph.org.uk - 1654444.jpg, The college sports ground in the snow
People associated with Downing
The college is renowned for its strong legal tradition, being built up by Clive Parry, his pupil and successor
John Hopkins and
Graham Virgo
Graham John Virgo is an English legal academic, barrister and university administrator. He is Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Professor of English Private Law at the University of Cambridge. Frequently cited in the English courts and those of ot ...
. Legal notables who have been honorary fellows of the college include the late Sir
John Smith, the pre-eminent
criminal law
Criminal law is the body of law that relates to crime. It prescribes conduct perceived as threatening, harmful, or otherwise endangering to the property, health, safety, and moral welfare of people inclusive of one's self. Most criminal law i ...
yer of his generation;
Lord Collins of Mapesbury, the first solicitor to be appointed to the Court of Appeal and House of Lords; and Sir
Robert Jennings, former President of the
International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice (ICJ; french: Cour internationale de justice, links=no; ), sometimes known as the World Court, is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN). It settles disputes between states in accordanc ...
.
Notable alumni
File:Aitzaz ahsan.jpg, Aitzaz Ahsan
Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan ( ur, ; born 27 September 1945) is a Pakistani politician and lawyer. He served two times as the Leader of the House in the Senate of Pakistan from 1994 to 1997 and again from 2012 to 2015. He also served as the Leader o ...
, senior Pakistani politician
File:John Cleese 2008 bigger crop.jpg, John Cleese
John Marwood Cleese ( ; born 27 October 1939) is an English actor, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. Emerging from the Cambridge Footlights in the 1960s, he first achieved success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and as a scriptwriter and ...
, actor and comedian
File:JLGreen.jpg, John Leslie Green, Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...
recipient
File:Andy Hamilton cropped.jpg, Andy Hamilton
Andrew Neil Hamilton (born 28 May 1954) is a British comedian, game show panellist, television director, comedy screenwriter, radio dramatist, novelist and actor.
Early life and education
Hamilton was born in Fulham, southwest London. He ...
, comedian
File:PSM V73 D096 Edwin Ray Lankester.jpg, Sir Ray Lankester, invertebrate zoologist and evolutionary biologist
File:Thandie Newton by Gage Skidmore.jpg, Thandiwe Newton
Melanie Thandiwe Newton ( ; born 6 November 1972), formerly credited as Thandie Newton, is a British actress. Newton has received various awards, including a Primetime Emmy Award and a British Academy Film Award, in addition to nominations for ...
, BAFTA award
The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTA Film Awards is an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best British and international contributions to film. The cere ...
-winning actress
File:Remi-Fani-Kayode.jpg, Remi Fani-Kayode
Chief Victor Babaremilekun Adetokunboh Fani-Kayode, Q.C., SAN, CON (1921–1995) was a leading Nigerian politician, aristocrat, nationalist, statesman and lawyer. He was elected deputy premier of the Western Region of Nigeria in 1963Emma ...
, Nigerian politician
File:John Pendry 2014c.jpg, Sir John Pendry, theoretical physicist
File:William Philip Schreiner.jpg, William Philip Schreiner
William Philip Schreiner (30 August 1857 – 28 June 1919) was a barrister, politician, statesman and Prime Minister of the Cape Colony during the Second Boer War.
Early life
Schreiner was born at Wittebergen Mission Station near Hersc ...
, Prime Minister of the Cape Colony
The Cape Colony ( nl, Kaapkolonie), also known as the Cape of Good Hope, was a British Empire, British colony in present-day South Africa named after the Cape of Good Hope, which existed from 1795 to 1802, and again from 1806 to 1910, when i ...
during the Second Boer War
The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sout ...
File:Michael Winner, 2010 (cropped).jpg, Michael Winner
Robert Michael Winner (30 October 1935 – 21 January 2013) was a British filmmaker, writer, and media personality. He is known for directing numerous Action film, action, Thriller films, thriller, and black comedy films in the 1960s, 1970s and ...
, film director and producer
File:David Lloyd Jones.JPG, David Lloyd Jones, Lord Lloyd-Jones
David Lloyd Jones, Lord Lloyd-Jones, PC, FLSW (born 13 January 1952) is a British judge and legal scholar. He has served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom since 2017, and has also served as a member of the Court of Appeal ...
, Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom
The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom (initialism: UKSC or the acronym: SCOTUK) is the final court of appeal in the United Kingdom for all civil cases, and for criminal cases originating in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. As the Unite ...
File:Yong Pung How at the ground-breaking ceremony for the new School of Law building, Singapore Management University - 20140120-03.jpg, Yong Pung How
Yong Pung How (11 April 1926 – 9 January 2020) was a Malayan-born Singaporean judge, lawyer and banker who served as the second chief justice of Singapore between 1990 and 2006, appointed by President Wee Kim Wee. He also served as the cha ...
, former Chief Justice of Singapore
The chief justice of Singapore is the chief justice, presiding member of the Supreme Court of Singapore. It is the highest post in the judicial system of Singapore, appointed by the President of Singapore, president, chosen from the candidates rec ...
Fellows
References
Bibliography
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External links
Downing College websiteDowning JCR (Junior Combination Room) websiteDowning MCR (Middle Combination Room) website
{{Authority control
Colleges of the University of Cambridge
Educational institutions established in 1800
Grade I listed buildings in Cambridge
Grade I listed educational buildings
Neoclassical architecture in England
1800 establishments in England