Darwin College, Cambridge facts for kids

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Darwin College

Darwin College's buildings from the River Cam

Arms of Darwin College

University

University of Cambridge

Location

Silver Street

Coordinates

52°12′02″N 0°06′49″E / 52.2006°N 0.1137°E

Abbreviation

DAR

Founders

Established

1964

Named after

The Darwin Family

Sister college

Wolfson College, Oxford

Master

Mike Rands

Undergraduates

None

Postgraduates

750 (2022-23)

Map

Location in Central Cambridge

Darwin College is a special part of the University of Cambridge. It was started on July 28, 1964. Darwin was the very first college at Cambridge University just for students doing advanced degrees, like PhDs. It was also the first college there to welcome both men and women.

The college is named after the famous Charles Darwin and his family. His family used to own some of the land where the college now stands. This land included a place called Newnham Grange.

Today, Darwin College has between 650 and 800 students. Most of them are studying for their PhD or MPhil degrees. They study subjects like sciences, humanities, and law. About half of the students come from outside the United Kingdom. In 2016, students from 80 different countries were studying there! Darwin is the biggest college for graduate students at Cambridge. Its sister college at Oxford University is Wolfson College.

Students and members of Darwin College are called Darwinians. Many famous people have studied or worked here. These include well-known scientists like Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey. Also, Nobel Prize winners Elizabeth Blackburn and Eric Maskin are Darwinians. Sir Ian Wilmut, who helped clone the sheep Dolly, also studied here.

History of Darwin College
College Buildings
What Students Study
Student Life at Darwin
Famous Darwinians
College Fellows
Images for kids
See also

History of Darwin College

Main Building

Darwin College Library from the millpond

Silver Street

Main courtyard

After World War II, many more students wanted to do advanced studies at Cambridge University. People realized that a college just for these graduate students was needed. So, in 1963, three older colleges – Trinity College, St John's College, and Gonville and Caius College – decided to create a new college together.

Darwin College officially opened in 1964. It is located right by the River Cam, across from Queens' College. In 1976, it became an independent college within the university.

The college is named after the Darwin family. Charles Darwin's second son, George Darwin, owned some of the land the college uses today. He bought Newnham Grange, the oldest part of the college, in 1885. The Darwin family was happy for their home to become the start of a new college. They also liked the idea of it being named after their family.

Family portraits of the Darwins are displayed in the college's main rooms. Gwen Raverat, Charles Darwin's granddaughter, wrote about growing up at Newnham Grange in her book Period Piece: A Cambridge Childhood.

In 2014, the college published a book called Darwin College: A 50th Anniversary Portrait. This book celebrated 50 years since the college was founded.

College Buildings

Darwin College is known for its beautiful buildings. They have a mix of Georgian and Victorian styles. The college grounds and gardens are built right next to the River Cam.

The college is located on Silver Street and Newnham Road. It also has special bridges called the Darwin College Bridges. These bridges connect the main college grounds to two islands that are part of the college.

In 1966, the college bought a house called the Hermitage. This house was built in the 1800s. Money to change and expand the college buildings came from the founding colleges. Large donations also came from the Rayne Foundation.

In 1994, Darwin College finished building a new library and study center. This building is next to The Old Granary, right by the millpond. It was built using green oak and special brickwork. The building is designed to stay cool using natural air flow.

In 2004, the college bought the Malting House. This building can house 12 students. It's a historic building, and its name comes from its original use. In the 1920s, the Malting House was home to a school that tried out new ideas in education.

In 2010, the college bought another building, No 4 Newnham Terrace. This helped the college have a complete boundary from Queen's Bridge all the way to Newnham Road and the River Granta.

What Students Study

Darwin College is strong in many subjects. It is especially known for its sciences, law, and humanities programs. Most graduate students earn their PhDs and MPhils in these areas.

Since Darwin College is only for graduate students, it is not included in the Tompkins Table. This table ranks Cambridge colleges based on their undergraduate studies.

Student Life at Darwin

Darwin College Dining Hall, Christmas 2011

Newnham Grange

The college hosts the famous Darwin Lecture Series every year. This series has eight talks over eight weeks. Each series focuses on one main topic, like 'Power'. Different experts talk about the topic from many angles, such as science, history, or art. These lectures have been happening for over 25 years. They are a big event in Cambridge. Many of the lectures have been published as books. Newer talks are also available online for free. Famous speakers like Sir Walter Bodmer and David Olusoga have given lectures here. The very first lecture was given by Karl Popper.

The college has a library and study center that is open 24 hours a day. It looks out over the River Cam. Students can also enjoy punting on the river.

In sports, the Darwin College Boat Club is very popular. The Darwin College Football Club also plays in the Cambridge University Association Football League (CUAFL). It is the only graduate college in this league. The club plays football all year round.

The college has regular formal dinners for students and fellows. They also hold annual May Balls during Cambridge's May Week. In 2023, Darwin College was the first Cambridge college to have a May Ball where all the food was plant-based.

Every student at Darwin College automatically becomes a member of the Darwin College Student Association (DCSA). This group has 20 students who plan events and parties. They also support student clubs and help students have a great time in Cambridge.

The Darwin College team has done well on the TV show University Challenge. They reached the semi-finals in the 2018-2019 season. They also made it to the first round in the 2020-21 season.

Famous Darwinians

Many distinguished people have been part of Darwin College. These include former students, college fellows, and past leaders. Darwinians have become successful in many jobs. They work as scientists, lawyers, politicians, and more.

Elizabeth Blackburn, who won the Nobel Prize in medicine in 2009, did her PhD at Darwin. Eric Maskin, who won the Nobel Prize in economics in 2007, was a visiting student here.

Conservationists Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey are also alumni. Sir Ian Wilmut, who led the team that first cloned the sheep Dolly, also studied at Darwin.

Paul Clement, who was a top lawyer for the United States government, studied at Darwin in 1988–89. Elliott Belgrave, a judge and former Governor-General of Barbados, also studied here.

Eyimofe Atake, a top lawyer in Nigeria, earned his PhD in Law from Darwin.

Paul Kalanithi, a neurosurgeon and author of a famous book, was a student at Darwin.

The philosopher Huw Price studied for his PhD at Darwin. Another philosopher, Nigel Warburton, also earned his PhD here. British nutritionist Professor Ann Prentice is also an alumnus.

Joanna Van Heyningen, a British architect, is an alumnus of the college.

Some Darwinians have become famous in sports. Helen McFie was a Scottish rower who won the Boat Race twice. She also competed for Great Britain. Gajan Pathmanathan, a cricketer from Sri Lanka, studied at Darwin College.

Three current or former leaders of other Cambridge colleges are Darwin alumni. These include Professor Mary Fowler, Nicola Padfield, and Professor Dame Jean Thomas.

College Fellows

César Milstein, who won the 1984 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, was a Fellow at Darwin College. Richard Henderson, who won the 2017 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, has been a Fellow since 1981.

Sir Karl Popper and Nobel Prize winner Max Perutz were Honorary Fellows. Amartya Sen and Martin Rees are also Honorary Fellows. Oliver Letwin was a research Fellow here.

Nick Phillips, Baron Phillips of Worth Matravers, who was the first president of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, was a visiting professor. Tom Bingham, Baron Bingham of Cornhill, another top judge, was also a visiting professor at Darwin College.