Take a look ahead and you’ll spot St Catharine’s College by its wide, open court bordered by elegant red-brick buildings dotted with white-trimmed windows. There’s a classic old-fashioned lamp post right in the center of the tidy grass, and the whole place is edged by neat cobblestones and low steps. There’s no high wall shutting you out-just this friendly, open space facing Trumpington Street, which makes it easy to spot as you walk by.
Now, imagine you’re here back in the 1400s. Instead of students typing on laptops, you’d see three nervous scholars in dark robes, clutching their books, hoping they understood enough theology and philosophy to make it another day. The college-then called Katharine Hall-was tiny, just a handful of people, all thanks to Robert Woodlark, who spent nearly all he had to build this place. Some say he secretly used money from King’s College next door, which must have made dinners a little awkward.
The college is fondly called “Catz” by everyone in Cambridge, and it has some quirky claims to fame. Ever heard of “Hobson’s choice”? Just behind where you’re standing was once a stable, and the manager, Hobson, refused to let you pick any horse except the one nearest the door. It was his way or no way, which ended up giving us that phrase: take it or leave it.
Even the college’s name has a story. It might have been named after Catherine of Valois, the mother of a king, or maybe after Catherine of Alexandria, the patron saint of knowledge. Cleverly, St Catharine’s celebrates its founding every November 25-St Catherine’s Day. If you look closely at the college crest, you’ll spot a spiky wheel, symbol of the saint herself.
For a long while, no undergraduates were allowed here, just serious fellows, until suddenly the college turned into a lively teaching place. Over hundreds of years, these courts grew around you, shaped by luck, drama, and a little bit of scandal-like that one master who, faced with a tie in the election, voted for himself and won.
So as you stand by these quiet lawns, close your eyes for a moment and imagine centuries of eager footsteps, nervous debates, secret ambitions, and the odd prank echoing off these red-brick walls. St Catharine’s is a mix of humble beginnings, academic dreams, and a dash of rebellion-right here, where it’s always been, open to the city and ready for the next story.
