Downing College, Cambridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Downing College |
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Downing College Chapel
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Arms of Downing College
Blazon: Barry of eight argent and vert, a griffin segreant or within a bordure azure charged with eight roses of the first seeded and barbed proper. |
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| University | University of Cambridge | |||||||||
| Location | Regent Street, Cambridge (map) | |||||||||
| Full name | Downing College in the University of Cambridge | |||||||||
| Abbreviation | DOW | |||||||||
| Motto | Quaerere Verum (Latin) | |||||||||
| Motto in English | Seek the truth | |||||||||
| Founder | Sir George Downing | |||||||||
| Established | 22 September 1800 | |||||||||
| Sister college | Lincoln College, Oxford | |||||||||
| Master | Graham Virgo | |||||||||
| Undergraduates | 493 (2022-23) | |||||||||
| Postgraduates | 455 (2022-23) | |||||||||
| Map | ||||||||||
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Downing College is one of the colleges that make up the University of Cambridge. It was founded in 1800 and is home to about 950 students. It was the only new college added to the university between 1596 and 1869. People often say it's the oldest of the "new" colleges and the newest of the "old" ones.
Downing College was created to encourage the study of Law and Medicine, along with related subjects like Moral and Natural Science. Because of this, it has become well-known among Cambridge colleges for its strong programs in Law and Medicine. In 2012, Downing was even named one of the two most eco-friendly colleges at Cambridge!
Contents
History of Downing College
How the College Was Founded
The story of Downing College began with Sir George Downing, 3rd Baronet. When he passed away in 1749, he left behind a large fortune. This money came from his grandfather, also named Sir George Downing, who had worked for both Oliver Cromwell and Charles II of England. This first Sir George Downing even built a door that was once part of 10 Downing Street, which is now used in the college!
Sir George the 3rd Baronet had no children of his own. So, in his will, he said that if his cousin, Sir Jacob Downing, 4th Baronet, and three other cousins also died without children, then his family's money should be used to start a new college at Cambridge. This college would be called Downing.
The Long Wait for the College
Sir Jacob died in 1764, and the other cousins had also passed away without heirs. This meant the college should have been started then. However, Sir Jacob's widow, Margaret, refused to give up the family's land and money.
Because of this, Sir George's legal relatives had to go to a special court called the Court of Chancery. This was a very expensive and long legal battle to make Margaret follow the will. She died in 1778, but her second husband and her sister's son kept fighting the case. Finally, in 1800, the court decided that Sir George's will was correct. King George III then officially approved Downing College with a royal charter, marking its official start.
Buildings and Architecture
The Original Design Plans
After the college was officially founded, an architect named William Wilkins was hired. He was chosen by the people in charge of the Downing estate, including important figures like the Masters of Clare College and St John's College, and the Archbishops of Canterbury and York.
Wilkins loved the neo-classical style of architecture, which uses ideas from ancient Greek and Roman buildings. He designed a grand plan for Downing College. It was meant to be the first college in the world built like a campus, with a huge entrance on Downing Street leading to the largest court in Cambridge. This court would stretch all the way to Lensfield Road.
Why the Grand Plan Changed
However, this grand vision didn't fully come true. The legal battle in the Court of Chancery had cost a lot of money, so the college had much less land and funds than expected. A large part of the land was sold to the university and is now home to many science buildings, known as "The Downing Site."
Because of this, only the East and West sides of the main court were built at first. Plans for a library and a chapel on the south side of the college had to be put on hold.
Completing the Main Court
The third side of the main square was finally finished in 1951 when the college chapel was built. Where the fourth side would have been, there is now a large grassy area with many trees, simply called "The Paddock." Even though it's not fully enclosed, the main court at Downing College is one of the largest in either Cambridge or Oxford. Some say it's even bigger than Trinity College's Great Court.
Newer Buildings
More recently, Downing College has added several new buildings. These include the Howard Lodge (for student housing), the Howard Building, and the Howard Theatre, which opened in 2010. These buildings were supported by the Howard Foundation. They are located behind the main court, around their own small garden. These modern facilities are often used for conferences and business meetings when students are not there.
The Heong Gallery
The Heong Gallery is a modern art gallery at Downing College. It opened in February 2016. The gallery is named after Alwyn Heong, who used to be a student at the college and supports visual arts. The gallery is located in a building that used to be stables. Its design, by Caruso St John, even won an award from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).
Student Life at Downing
Students from Downing College are very active and successful within the university. In recent years, Downing students have been presidents of the Cambridge Union (a famous debating society), captains of sports teams, and leaders of various student societies like the Law and Economic Society. Downing is especially known as the 'Law College' because of its strong legal programs.
The Griffin is the name of the college's student magazine, and it has been published by undergraduates for over 100 years.
Sports at Downing
Downing College has many sports teams. Students play sports like men's football, men's and women's rugby, tennis, and ultimate frisbee.
The Downing College Rugby Union Football Club is one of the best teams at Cambridge. They won the Cuppers competition in 2019 and the Shield competition in 2022. They also won the Plate competition in the 2017-2018 season.
The Downing College Boat Club is also very successful. The women's first rowing boat won the "Headship" (meaning they were the fastest boat) in the Lent Bumps race in 2004 and again in 2020. They also won the Mays Headship in 2014 and 2015. The men's first boat has also held the Headship several times, including in the 1980s and 1990s. When a boat wins the Headship, there's a tradition of "burning the boat" (using an old wooden boat) while the winning rowers jump over the flames. Both the men's and women's first boats are currently ranked very high in the university's main rowing races, the Lents and Mays Bumps.
Notable People from Downing
Downing College is famous for its strong connection to law. Many important legal figures have been part of the college. For example, Sir John Cyril Smith was a leading expert in criminal law. Lord Collins of Mapesbury was the first solicitor (a type of lawyer) to be appointed to the Court of Appeal and the House of Lords. Sir Robert Yewdall Jennings was a former President of the International Court of Justice.
Famous Alumni
Many well-known people have studied at Downing College. Here are a few:
- John Cleese: A famous actor and comedian, known for Monty Python.
- Quentin Blake: A well-known English cartoonist, illustrator, and writer of children's books.
- William Philip Schreiner: He was the Prime Minister of the Cape Colony during the Second Boer War.
- Michael Atherton: A broadcaster, journalist, and former England international cricketer.
- Thandiwe Newton: A BAFTA award-winning actress.
- Sir Ray Lankester: An expert in zoology (the study of animals) and evolutionary biology.
- Sir John Pendry: A theoretical physicist.
- David Lloyd Jones, Lord Lloyd-Jones: A Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom.
- Michael Winner: A film director and producer.
- John Leslie Green: A recipient of the Victoria Cross, a very brave award.
- Aitzaz Ahsan: A Pakistani politician.
- Andy Hamilton: A comedian.
Images for kids
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East Range, Downing College, November 2006
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The Paddock, the green space between the trees. The church on the skyline is on Lensfield Road.
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North east view of the lawns outside the chapel.
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The Howard Building
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J Staircase accommodation
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The Kenny Building
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A sundial commemorating the bicentenary of the college
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Ai Weiwei Trees, part of a 2016 exhibition at the Heong Gallery
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The college sports ground in the snow
See also
In Spanish: Downing College para niños
