Look to your left for a small, striking red building with three black-arched windows and a hanging pub sign above the door, standing out against the larger brick structures around it.
Ah, welcome to the legendary St Radegund - the tiniest pub in Cambridge, but certainly one with a giant personality! Imagine stepping inside and being greeted by the lively hum of good-natured chatter, the scent of hops hanging in the air, and the sight of cricket bats tucked in the corner, hinting at friendships forged over endless games and even more endless pints. This little gem is named after a Frankish saint, but its spirit couldn’t be more human. For years, it served as a headquarters for clubs with wonderfully odd names like the Cantabrigensis Hash House Harriers, and it was the birthplace of storied cricket rivalries. Fancy trying the King Street Run yourself? It starts and finishes right here, though don’t be surprised if you only manage a wobble by the end.
Under the unforgettable landlord Terry Kavanagh, whom many say had a wit as dry as the gin poured on Friday’s Vera Lynn Appreciation Society nights, local legend took on a life of its own. Picture people raising large gin and tonics, singing wartime ballads, and turning every Friday into a roaring trip down memory lane. There were famous cricket matches against The Champion of the Thames pub; wild tales, like when the St Radegund team took on the mighty Croatian Mount Hum on their epic cricket tour - and, yes, the story was good enough to be a book.
And would it really be Cambridge without a little eccentricity? For years, the pub proudly displayed a sign that, by a strange twist, honored an Austrian town instead of its namesake saint! The artwork was changed after local uproar, only to be changed back again later, causing even more amusement (and a fair share of media giggles).
Though it closed its doors recently, for anyone who squeezed inside, swapped wild stories, or cheered on the underdogs, St Radegund remains a brilliant, mischievous bit of Cambridge spirit. Now, onward to your next unforgettable stop!
