Physwick or FishwickChristopher Nugent Lawrence Brooke
History of Gonville and Caius College
pp. 24 Hostel is a former constituent of the

University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...

located on the south side of the present

Trinity Great Court Great Court is the main Courtyard, court of Trinity College, Cambridge, and reputed to be the largest enclosed courtyard in Europe. The court was completed by Thomas Nevile, master of the college, in the early years of the 17th century, when he ...

, between the Queen’s Gate and Trinity Street.The Project Gutenberg eBook of Cambridge
/ref> It was founded in 1393 when William Fiswick (also known as Fishwick or Physwick), the first esquire or armiger bedel of the university, bequeathed his

Trinity Lane Trinity Lane is a street in the centre of Cambridge, England that passes through portions of the University of Cambridge, one of the world's most prestigious universities.

hall to Gonville Hall (later Gonville and Caius College). Chambers and lodgings were added by William Revell, rector of Titchwell, Norfolk, in his own

benefice A benefice () or living is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The Roman Empire used the Latin term as a benefit to an individual from the Empire for services rendered. Its use was adopted by ...

. Members of the hostel and main hall were able to use these for pleasure or in sickness during recurrences of the

Black Death in England The Black Death was a bubonic plague pandemic, which reached England in June 1348. It was the first and most severe manifestation of the second pandemic, caused by '' Yersinia pestis'' bacteria. The term ''Black Death'' was not used until the la ...

.Fuller, T., 2009
The history of the University of Cambridge from the conquest to the year 1634
''Cambridge University Press'', pages 110-112british borough charters
page 203 Physwick was far more populous than the main college Caius, usually between thirty and forty in number, but at one point over 80

commoner A commoner, also known as the ''common man'', ''commoners'', the ''common people'' or the ''masses'', was in earlier use an ordinary person in a community or nation who did not have any significant social status, especially a member of neither ...

members at once, although it did not breed distinguished theologians, bishops and dignitaries.COLLEGE RECORDS
NOTES ON SOURCES. http://www.rayment.info Walter Hart,

Bishop of Norwich The Bishop of Norwich is the Ordinary (Catholic Church), ordinary of the Church of England Anglican Diocese of Norwich, Diocese of Norwich in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers most of the county of Norfolk and part of Suffolk. Th ...

(1446–1472), maintained 12 students at Physwick. It did however maintain a reputation for many years, educating many eminent and learned men, some of whom were summoned to fill honourable positions in the parent college, others to hold offices of state.Clark, J.W., 1890
Cambridge; brief historical and descriptive notes
/ref> Physwick hostel features in several of

Susanna Gregory Susanna Gregory is the pseudonym of Elizabeth Cruwys, a Cambridge academic who was previously a coroner's officer. She writes detective fiction, and is noted for her series of mediaeval mysteries featuring Matthew Bartholomew, a teacher of medi ...

's Matthew Bartholomew series books. In 1467 Gonville Hall also acquired St Margaret's Hostel and then in 1481 rebuilt the two as a single, substantial complex with hall and

gate tower A gate tower is a tower built over or next to a major gateway. Usually it is part of a medieval fortification. This may be a town or city wall, fortress, castle or castle chapel. The gate tower may be built as a twin tower on either side of a ...

. In 1546 Physwick and St Margaret's were merged into the new Trinity College by

Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is known for his Wives of Henry VIII, six marriages and his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. ...

along with

Michaelhouse Michaelhouse is a full boarding senior school for boys founded in 1896. It is located in the Balgowan, KwaZulu-Natal, Balgowan valley in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, Midlands of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The Spear’s Schools Index 2025 reco ...

, King’s Hall and five other hostels: Gregory’s, Ovyng’s, Catherine’s, Garratt, and Tyler’s.

Principals of Physwick Hostel

It was administered by two Principals, one exterior, the other interior, who managed the finances, and directed the studies. The former was appointed by the Master of Caius College, the latter elected by the students themselves. That the selection of one of the Principals should be made by those whom he was to instruct is without parallel in early university institutions.

References

{{Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge Organisations of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge Trinity College, Cambridge