Trinity Hall

Trinity Hall stands beside the River Cam in central Cambridge, a college of the University of Cambridge founded in 1350 by William Bateman, Bishop of Norwich. It occupies two main sites: the historic courts off Bateman Street and Thompson’s Lane, and the modern sporting grounds at Wychfield next to Fitzwilliam College. The college’s name reflects its original purpose to train clergymen in canon law after the Black Death. Its architecture mixes medieval stonework with later additions, including a chapel and a riverside garden. The college also shares a long connection with the Church of St Edward, King and Martyr on Peas Hill. The college’s history is marked by legal scholarship and notable alumni. Stephen Hawking and Nobel laureate David Thouless studied here, as did prime ministers from Australia, Pakistan and Canada. The college’s legal tradition dates back to its foundation, producing judges and professors of civil law for centuries. In the 19th century, violinist George Bridgetower earned a music degree here, one of the university’s first black students. Today, the college hosts an annual essay prize in his name, awarded in the Bridgetower Room. Visitors walk through the courts and along the river path that borders the college grounds. The Wychfield sports fields lie beyond the main buildings, used by students and college teams. The chapel and older buildings frame quiet courtyards, while the riverside offers views of punts and college boathouses. The college’s history is visible in its stone walls and in the names of its rooms, each telling part of the story of this ancient foundation.