Trinity College, Cambridge facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Trinity College
Trinity College Great Court Trinity College scarf
Coat of arms of Trinity College Blazon: Argent, a chevron between three roses gules barbed and seeded proper and on a chief gules a lion passant gardant between two closed books all Or
University	University of Cambridge
Location	Trinity Street (map)
Full name	The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity within the Town and University of Cambridge of King Henry the Eighth's Foundation
Latin name	Collegium Trinitatis
Motto	Virtus Vera Nobilitas (Latin)
Motto in English	Virtue is true nobility
Founder	Henry VIII of England
Established	1546; 479 years ago (1546)
Named after	The Holy Trinity
Previous names	King's Hall and Michaelhouse (until merged in 1546)
Sister college	Christ Church, Oxford
Master	Dame Sally Davies
Undergraduates	735 (2022-23)
Postgraduates	336 (2022-23)
Senior tutor	Professor Catherine Barnard
Map
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Trinity College is a famous college at the University of Cambridge in England. It was started in 1546 by King Henry VIII. Trinity is one of the biggest colleges in Cambridge. It also has the largest amount of money saved up compared to any other college at Oxbridge (Oxford and Cambridge).

Trinity College is known for its excellent academic results. It often ranks as the top college in the Tompkins Table, which is a list of how well Cambridge colleges perform in exams. From 2011 to 2017, Trinity was number one. In 2020–21, it had the highest percentage of students getting top grades.

Many people from Trinity have won important awards. These include 34 Nobel Prizes, four Fields Medals (for maths), one Turing Award (for computing), and one Abel Prize (also for maths). Six British prime ministers and two members of the British royal family have studied here. Trinity is also the largest college at Oxbridge by student numbers, with about 730 undergraduate students, 300 graduate students, and 180 teachers (called fellows).

Trinity has many student groups. These include the Trinity Mathematical Society, which is the oldest maths club at a UK university. The First and Third Trinity Boat Club is its rowing club. This club even gives its name to the college's big party, the May Ball. Trinity also helped create the first rules for Association football (soccer) in 1848. Trinity's sister college is Christ Church, Oxford.

History of Trinity College

1575 map showing the King's Hall (top left) and Michaelhouse (top right) buildings before they were rebuilt.

How Trinity College Started

King Henry VIII founded Trinity College in 1546. He combined two older colleges, Michaelhouse (started in 1324) and King's Hall (started in 1317). At that time, King Henry was taking land from churches. Universities like Cambridge were worried they might be next.

The universities asked the King's wife, Catherine Parr, for help. She convinced him not to close them. Instead, he decided to create a new, large college. He didn't want to use his own money. So, he merged Michaelhouse and King's Hall, plus seven smaller student houses, to form Trinity.

Building the College: Nevile's Work

A 1690 picture showing Great Court (front) and Nevile's Court with the new Wren Library (back).

Trinity College grew a lot under its Master, Thomas Nevile (1593–1615). He rebuilt and redesigned much of the college. This included making the Great Court bigger and finishing it. He also built Nevile's Court between Great Court and the river.

Nevile's Court was finished later with the Wren Library. This famous library was designed by Christopher Wren. Nevile's building projects were very expensive. The college was in debt for many years because of them.

Trinity College Today

Trinity started the Cambridge Science Park in 1970. It was the UK's first science park.

In the 20th century, Trinity College was a key place for the Cambridge Apostles. This was a special, secret group for smart thinkers. Trinity is the richest college at Oxbridge. Its land alone is worth about £800 million.

Trinity College owns some very important places. These include:

• Housing at the Port of Felixstowe, which is a very busy port.
• The Cambridge Science Park, a place for science and technology companies.
• The O2 Arena in London, a large entertainment venue.

A special service at Great Court in 2018.

College Stories

It is said that Lord Byron, a famous poet, kept a pet bear when he lived at Trinity. Trinity is also often said to be the place where "Trinity burnt cream" was invented. This is an English version of crème brûlée.

Trinity in Camberwell

Trinity College has a long connection with a church in South London called St George's, Camberwell. Since 1966, students from Trinity have helped run holiday activities for children from that area. This connection became a formal charity called Trinity in Camberwell in 1979.

Buildings and Grounds

A historical map of Trinity College in 1897.

Great Gate

The Great Gate is the main entrance to Trinity College. It leads into the Great Court. Above the door, there is a statue of the college's founder, Henry VIII. In 2023, the college put a sceptre in the statue's hand. This was to celebrate the 75th birthday of Charles III, who studied at Trinity.

Great Court

Great Court was built between 1599 and 1608. It was the idea of Thomas Nevile. He knocked down many old buildings to create this large space. The Master's Lodge, where the head of the college lives, is also here. It is the official home for the King or Queen when they visit Cambridge.

Nevile's Court

The Wren Library at Nevile's Court.

Nevile's Court was built in 1614. It is located between Great Court and the river. This court was made possible by a gift from Thomas Nevile. It was later extended and finished with the famous Wren Library.

The inside of the Wren Library.

The Wren Library (built 1676–1695) was designed by Christopher Wren. It is one of Cambridge's most famous libraries. It holds many important items. These include two of Shakespeare's First Folios and letters written by Isaac Newton.

New Court

New Court (built 1825) is south of Nevile's Court. It is known for the large tree in its middle. There is a story that this was the tree where an apple fell on Isaac Newton. But Newton was at home when he thought of gravity. Also, the tree is a horse chestnut, not an apple tree.

Other College Areas

Whewell's Court.

Whewell's Court (1860–1868) is across the street from Great Court. It was paid for by William Whewell, a former Master of the college. Angel Court (built 1957–1959) and the Wolfson Building (built 1968–1972) are used for first-year students. Blue Boar Court (built 1989) and Burrell's Field (built 1995) are also part of the college.

Chapel

Inside Trinity College Chapel.

The Trinity College Chapel was built in the mid-16th century. It is a very important historical building. Inside, you can find memorials to people who were part of Trinity. One famous statue is of Isaac Newton, made by Louis-François Roubiliac. The college choir performs in the Chapel.

Grounds

Trinity College has several gardens and sports fields. The Fellows' Garden is a nice green space. The Fellows' Bowling Green is used for parties in the summer. The Old Fields have the college gym, squash courts, and pitches for rugby, hockey, and football.

Trinity Bridge

Trinity Bridge.

Trinity Bridge is a stone bridge over the River Cam. It was built in 1765. It is also a very important historical building.

Academic Success

Trinity College has a very strong academic record. For the past twenty years, it has always been among the top colleges in the Tompkins Table. This table ranks Cambridge colleges by how well their students do in exams. Trinity has been in first place for the last six times. In 2016, 45% of Trinity students got the highest possible grade. This was a record for Cambridge colleges.

Becoming a Student

Getting into Trinity College is very competitive. This is because of its history, strong academics, and famous former students. Trinity states that it chooses students only based on their academic potential. It does not consider what type of school they attended. Trinity welcomed its first female graduate student in 1976 and its first female undergraduate in 1978.

Scholarships and Awards

The statue of Sir Isaac Newton in the chapel.

Trinity College offers scholarships and prizes to its students.

• Research Scholars get money for their advanced studies. They are usually top students who continue studying at Trinity.
• Senior Scholars are undergraduates who get top grades after their first year. They receive a yearly payment and can choose their rooms first.
• Junior Scholars are students who get top grades in their first year. They also receive a yearly payment.

All students who get a top grade in their exams also receive an extra prize. The college also helps many final-year students pay for master's degrees. Only Fellows (teachers) and their guests can walk on the grass in the college courts. Scholars can walk on the Scholars' Lawn, but only when wearing their special academic gowns.

College Traditions

The Great Court Run

Great Court, showing the dining hall, Master's Lodge, fountain, clock tower, chapel, and Great Gate.

The Great Court Run is a famous challenge at Trinity. Students try to run around the 400-yard edge of Great Court. They must do this in the 43 seconds it takes for the clock to strike 12. It is a very difficult run.

The run was shown in the movie Chariots of Fire. In the movie, the run was filmed at a different college. For many years, new students would try the run at midnight after a special dinner. Now, the college holds a more formal Great Court Run at noon. Some students run seriously, while others wear fun costumes. Prizes are given for the fastest man and woman.

Outdoor Concerts

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Singing on the River, 5 June 2016

One Sunday in June, the College Choir performs a short concert. It is called Singing from the Towers. Half of the choir sings from the Great Gate, and the other half sings from the Clock Tower. This creates a cool echo effect.

Later that day, the choir performs another outdoor concert. This one is called Singing on the River. They sing songs from a raft of punts on the river. The punts are lit with lanterns. For the last song, the raft floats away, making the music slowly fade out.

The Mallard Duck

Another tradition involves a fake duck called the Mallard. It is supposed to stay in the high beams of the Great Hall. Students used to move the duck from one beam to another without permission. This was very hard to do because the beams are so high. In 2006, a pigeon knocked it down. Students put it back in 2016.

College Rivalry

Trinity College has a friendly rivalry with St John's College. They often compete in sports and academics. There are many stories about this rivalry. One story says that the clock in Trinity's Great Court strikes each hour twice because St John's once complained about the noise.

Other Small Traditions

Trinity College students wear dark blue gowns with black trim. Most other Cambridge colleges wear black gowns. Students wear these gowns for formal events, like special dinners. Trinity students are also among the first to be presented at graduation ceremonies.

College Prayer

The High Table in the dining hall.

Each evening before dinner, a special prayer, called a grace, is said. It is spoken in Latin. It asks for blessings on the food and thanks for the gifts received. After the meal, a short Latin phrase is said to give thanks.

People from Trinity College

Famous Fellows and Alumni

Charles III, King of the United Kingdom.

Many famous people have studied or taught at Trinity College. King Charles III studied here from 1967 to 1970. Marian Hobson was the first woman to become a Fellow (teacher) at the college in 1977. Her picture hangs in the college hall. Other notable female Fellows include Catherine Barnard and Dame Sally Davies, the current Master.

Nobel Prize Winners

Amartya Sen.

Bertrand Russell.

Trinity College has had many Nobel Prize winners. Here are some of them:

Fields Medallists

Four people from Trinity College have won the Fields Medal, a top award in mathematics.

Turing Award Winners

British Prime Ministers

Lord Melbourne was Prime Minister from 1834–1841.

Six British Prime Ministers studied at Trinity College.

Other important politicians from Trinity include Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, and Rajiv Gandhi, another Prime Minister of India.

Masters of Trinity College

Martin Rees was Master from 2004 to 2012.

Dame Sally Davies, the current Master of Trinity.

The person in charge of Trinity College is called the Master. The King or Queen formally appoints the Master. The college's teachers (fellows) suggest who should be the new Master. The first Master was John Redman in 1546. The current Master, Dame Sally Davies, started in 2019. She is the first female Master of Trinity College.

Images for kids

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  Great Gate

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  Clock Tower

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  Fellows' Bowling Green, with the oldest building in the college in the background.

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  Old Kitchen set up for a formal dinner.

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  New Court after 2016 refurbishment.

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  The River Cam as it flows past the back of Trinity, Trinity Bridge is visible and the punt house is to the right of the moored punts.

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  The Avenue of lime and cherry trees, and wrought iron gate to Queen's Road viewed from the Backs.

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  Sundial and shelter at the Fellows' Garden.

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  1995 development of Burrell's Field.

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  Blue Boar Court, with the Wolfson Building in the background.

See also

In Spanish: Trinity College (Cambridge) para niños

• Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences, partially funded by Trinity