queens college cambridge tour

Queens' College

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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Queens' College - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• Shared | Alumni-Led Cambridge Uni Tour w/opt King's College Entry (From $25.34)
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Open For Bookings May 2024

Cambridge Colleges Queens' College

A 500-year-old royal foundation set on the picturesque Backs.

The infamous Mathematical Bridge stretching over the River Cam. Read on to find the truth about its construction.

History of Queens’ College

Queens’ College was founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou. Rather appropriately, it sits next to King’s College, founded by her husband Henry VI. Rumour has it that the apostrophe comes after the ‘s’ on Queens’ to indicate multiple Queens. As a second Queen later refounded the College: Elizabeth Woodville.

An Isaac Newton Creation…?

A popular tourist myth in Cambridge is that the original Mathematical Bridge was built by Isaac Newton and held itself up without any nuts and bolts. However, this story is in no way true. Firstly, the Bridge was built 22 years after Newton died. Secondly, it has always contained nuts and bolts! It is ‘mathematical’ because of the use of straight wooden planks and perpendicular angles.

Queens’ Alumni

Queens’ alumni include Stephen Fry: British actor and comedian Desiderius Erasmus: influential philosopher, and Alexander Crummell: the first black graduate of Cambridge.

Prices and Admission

Entrance fees.

Entrance costs £3.50 per person with children under 12 going for free.

Opening Hours

The College is open 10-16:30 daily (last entry at 16:00).

Accessibility and Facilities

Accessibility.

The College contains several old buildings, and many routes have steps that make access a challenge. There are step-free routes around the College. For more information, see  here .

Silver Street

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Ultimate Guide to Queens’ College

Queens’ college.

• the Dutch philosopher and Christian humanist Desiderius Erasmus
• the English actor, comedian and screenwriter John Cleese
• the English actor, comedian and writer Stephen Fry
• the British-American astrophysicist and former NASA astronaut Michael Foale

Mathematical Bridge  

Getting Here By Train

Cambridge Train Station

Getting Here By Bus

Drummer Street Bus Stop

Getting Here By Car

Park Street Car Park, 13 Park St, Cambridge CB5 8AS

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Queens' College

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Also popular with travellers

QUEENS' COLLEGE: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

• Shared | Alumni-Led Cambridge Uni Tour w/opt King's College Entry (From £20.36)
• Shared | Cambridge Alumni-Led Walking & Punting Tour W/ Opt King's College Entry (From £61.08)
• Shared | Cambridge University Punting Tour (From £35.63)
• Private | Alumni-Led Cambridge Uni Tour w/opt Kings College Entry (From £193.43)
• Private Cambridge Punting Tour (From £110.97)
• (0.15 mi) Graduate Cambridge
• (0.31 mi) Hilton Cambridge City Centre
• (0.19 mi) Gonville & Caius College (Stephen Hawking and Harvey Court Buildings)
• (0.54 mi) Duke House
• (0.57 mi) The Varsity Hotel & Spa
• (0.05 mi) The Anchor
• (0.07 mi) The Mill
• (0.06 mi) Cafe Aristo
• (0.17 mi) The Cambridge Chop House
• (0.19 mi) Jack's Gelato

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Queens' College

• Student life
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Find out more

Queens’ has a welcoming and friendly atmosphere. It’s small enough to have community spirit but big enough you can meet new people. The library is amazing but on the flip side you can relax in Q Bar and play pool! Amber

Situated directly on the River Cam with buildings on either side of its banks, Queens’ College is right in the heart of the city.

We are one of the largest Colleges in Cambridge, but that doesn’t stop us from placing each individual student’s needs at the centre of everything we do.

Queens’ students are guaranteed 3 years of accommodation, either on the main site in one of our beautiful buildings, or a short walk away at Owlstone Croft or Grange Road.

The College is characterised by its diverse architecture, with a building having been added every century since our founding in 1448. This means that you can choose to be surrounded by regal Tudor beams, classical Georgian architecture or the humane modernism of Cripps Court, as well as many other buildings.

Our bedrooms are a combination of en suite and shared bathrooms. All students also have access to a kitchenette, as well as a wide range of menu options in our superb dining hall and café/bar.

We have a historic, well-stocked library built on the site of the College’s old chapel, as well as extensive sports facilities on the main site and at the nearby sports ground.

Queens’ is also a fantastic place to be involved in the arts, with a full theatre space used by our acclaimed student drama group Bats.

Music plays an important role in College life, and there are many other societies on offer.

Location and student life

Queens’ Health and Wellbeing Team is renowned across the University for developing a pioneering programme of care and support for our students. The team includes professionals with a variety of backgrounds across mental health and counselling to ensure that all of our students are enabled to fulfil their potential.

Queens’ is known for having an open, welcoming, and friendly community. We have a strong commitment to developing a more diverse environment and will support you to achieve your best throughout your degree. The large size of our student body makes it easy to find people who you click with during your time with us.

• Visit the College website
• Join a College event
• Explore the College on our Virtual Tour
• Come to an Open Day

Admissions Tutor Dr Susan Haines

Senior Tutor Dr Andrew Thompson

Check  College website for information. See also Cambridge Open Days .

Accessibility Guide

Cambridge Admissions Office

• Cambridge Admissions Office Student Services Centre New Museums Site Cambridge CB2 3PT
• 01223 333308
• [email protected]
• www.cao.cam.ac.uk

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4th and 5th July 2024

Queens' College Open Day

Undergraduate Admissions

Welcome to the Queens' College July Open Days 2024

9:30-16:30 thursday 4th and friday 5th july.

Join us for a tour of our beautiful grounds and extensive facilities, including student accommodation, speak to our current students and find out why you should choose Queens' College as the home of your undergraduate degree.

Prospective applicants and their supporters are invited in via the Porters' Lodge on Silver Street, Cambridge.

Cross over the Mathematical Bridge and take a look at Queens' College for yourself, with guided tours led by our current undergraduate students

• Guided tours leave from the Round frequently throughout the day • Allow 30-45 minutes for a guided tour (tell us if you need to be quicker) • The last guided tour of the day will leave at 16:00 • Ask your friendly, knowledgeable student guide about their subject, studies and life at Queens'! • Or you can opt to take a self-guided visit around the College

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Tours at Queens' College, Cambridge

Applying to Queens' College, University of Cambridge Our Admissions team will be on hand to answer questions. Find us on the Round More details are online about the application process

Library Opening times to be confirmed Explore Queens' Old Library , the original medieval library of the College, still situated in its original room with bookcases made from medieval lecterns. Currently on display are a collection of rare insect books.

Ice-cream on the Round Complimentary ice-cream available on the Round Available from 11:00 while stocks last Weather forecast by Met Office

Student Accommodation and College Facilities

Check out student rooms, group spaces and shared areas.

Open for viewing: Living at Queens' - accommodation for undergraduates

A range of rooms will be open for viewing on the day. for more information about buildings, room types and costs: https://www.queens.cam.ac.uk/applying-here/undergraduate-applications/undergraduate-accommodation, open for viewing: queens' college facilities - study, leisure, sports, catering and more, • café qbar • cripps dining hall • faith centre (ff8) and chapel • fitzpatrick hall • gym and squash courts • jcr solarium • old hall • library www.queens.cam.ac.uk/life-at-queens/college-facilities.

Plan Your Visit

• Please note: there is no parking on-site during Open Days • Visiting the College | Queens' College (cam.ac.uk)

• Getting to Queens' College https://map.cam.ac.uk/tiles/15/16394/10793.png 52° 12′ 06″ N 00° 07′ 00″ E OSGB grid ref: TL 446 581 Postcode: CB3 9ET   WhatThreeWords: freed.spoke.stem

• Accessibility https://www.queens.cam.ac.uk/visiting-the-college/access-guide

• Want to find out more about Queens' College? See our College website or the site for our undergraduate student representatives, the JCR

If you have any questions before, during or after the event, have accessibility or other needs, we would be happy to help. Contact us by email at [email protected]

Part of the University of Cambridge Open Days

You can find out about other Open Day events happening at the University across the city of Cambridge: • Colleges • Departments and Faculties • Cambridge University Library • University facilities • Student Services

Programme and booking information: cambridge open days | undergraduate study, thank you for visiting us at queens' college, https://www.facebook.com/queenscollegecambridge, https://twitter.com/queenscam, https://www.instagram.com/queens_college.

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” Discimus ut Serviamus: We learn so that we may serve”

Take an In-Person Public Tour of the Queens College Campus!

Space is limited, so  register today for In-Person Campus Tour!

For 11-12th grade student tours: please email [email protected] or [email protected]

For 6-10th grade student tours, please reach out to our  CUNY Explorers Program  for information and availability.

Please plan to arrive early.  Unfortunately, if any guests arrive late to Jefferson Hall, we cannot guarantee a guided tour.

Hours & Contact Info

Welcome Center – Jefferson Hall Lobby: Mon-Fri 1:00pm – 5:00pm

Office Hours : Mon-Fri 9:00am – 5:00pm Phone: 718-997-5600 Email: [email protected]

Take a Virtual Campus Tour!

Watch a Queens College Information Session

• Visiting Cambridge Colleges in 2023 – Latest Information

Most visitors to Cambridge would like to take a look inside a College or two. There’s over 800years of history to explore and many of them are free to enter.

We have created an exclusive and helpful table showing Colleges, weblinks, opening information and charges. See here… https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1OlNqtNpEPFtrLmnF4n6VCbJWccBZEgP59_tpjdX3WmE/edit?usp=sharing

It should be noted that Colleges are private institutions that have the ability to close at a moment’s notice if a special guest has been invited to look round or something like that. There is no guarantee that a College will be open on the day you might have decided to visit.

If there is a concert or a recording taking place this might also be a reason for a College to close so it’s best to check their websites before you go. Many Colleges keep their social media up to date with any opening restrictions.

We hope some of your questions might be answered below:-

Which are the best Colleges in central Cambridge that are free to look round?

These would be:-

• Christ’s College where Charles Darwin studied (Only open Tuesdays and Thursday)
• Downing College has the Heong Gallery
• Pembroke College with it’s Chapel by Sir Christopher Wren
• Gonville & Caius College with it’s different courts and medical history
• Jesus College with it’s garden sculptures
• Magdelene College right on the river with the Pepys Library
• Peterhouse being the oldest of all the Colleges in Cambridge
• Sidney Sussex where Oliver Cromwell’s head is buried
• St. Catherine’s College in a small intimate College in the heart of Cambridge
• Trinity Hall has an amazing history and a beautiful garden on the river

Which are the Colleges that charge visitors to enter?

These would be:

• Clare College
• Corpus Christi College
• St John’s College
• King’s College
• Queens’ College
• Trinity College

Which are the most famous or popular Colleges to look round?

Trinity college.

Trinity is by far the wealthiest and the largest of all the Colleges in Cambridge. They only charge £3 for an adult to enter the College but access is restricted to the Great Court and the Chapel. To gain admission enter via the Great Gate on Trinity Street.

It is also possible to see the Great Court free of charge by entering through the Queen Elizabeth Gate on Trinity Lane but do not cross the barrier marked PRIVATE! If you do the porters wearing bowler hats will be after you.

Trinity Great Gate seen from the Great Court

KING’S COLLEGE

King’s College is probably the most visited College in Cambridge as the chapel is the finest example of late gothic architecture anywhere in the world. It has the finest example of renaissance stained glass anywhere in the world and the largest fan vaulted ceiling.

To look round the chapel and grounds at King’s you can buy a ticket online here:  https://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/visit/your-visit

It is £1 cheaper online but you can just pop into the Kings Shop on Kings Parade and buy your ticket there. It is £11 for an adult and £8.50 for a child when buying from the shop.

Once you have your ticket you will need to walk round to the north door of the chapel to present your ticket and enter.

Inside King’s College Chapel

After you have seen the chapel and the priceless painting by Rubens you can walk round the College grounds. Many visitors just head off after the chapel but it’s a strong recommendation to enjoy the grounds and walk over the bridge to the west, which has inspired famous Chinese poetry.

It is worth noting that with many guided walking tours entry to the chapel is included. Many people walk around the chapel but have no idea what they are looking at so having a guide is a strong recommendation. These can be arranged through Cambridge Walking Tours http://www.cambridgewalkingtours.co.uk/

It is possible to attend a Choir Services known as Evensong at King’s College chapel free of charge. These take place in term time and you will need to book online as they are restricting the number of people attending due to Covid-19. You can see all the information you need and book online here:- https://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/chapel/attending-chapel-services

Once you’ve booked you need to come to the front of King’s College on King’s Parade at 4:55pm. If you are after 5:05pm you will be at the back of the queue. At 5pm you will be allowed into the College and permitted to queue up at the south door to the chapel (follow the crowd). At 5:15pm you will be allowed into the chapel. At 5:30pm Evensong will start. You will not need to pray or sing. Just stand up when everyone else stands up and sit down when everyone else sits down. The service lasts around 45mins. Dress appropriately for a religious service and do not take photographs. It’s important to be respectful of the College allowing visitors to participate in an ancient and beautiful tradition.

King’s College taken from Queen’s Road

QUEENS’ COLLEGE

Queens’ College is special because of the wooden bridge over the cam often incorrectly referred to as the Mathematical Bridge. It also has a historic sun dial and some of the oldest courts in Cambridge.

It is only £5 to look around this College and much of it is open to the public.

Access is gained via Queens’ Lane.

St. JOHN’S COLLEGE

St. John’s College is very famous as William Wordsworth studied here and it’s one of the most beautiful. It is also the only College to have two bridges over the river one being the famous Bridge of Sighs.

The movie about Steven Hawking’s life called The Theory of Everything was filmed here although Mr. Hawking went to Trinity Hall.

Entry to this College is £11 for an adult and they charge for children over 12yrs. This is the most expensive of all the Colleges to visit.

With the entry to the College you can wonder around most of the buildings. It’s possible to go into the chapel but often this is restricted just to the entrance and not the stalls.

Make the most of your time at St. John’s College and make sure you walk over the Bridge of Sighs and into New Court and the gardens.

New Court at St. John’s College

What Colleges are off the beaten track but worth a visit?

Selwyn College is a short walk to the west and has some pretty buildings.

Churchill College is a bit of a trek but it has a lot of grounds and some amazing sculptures.

When is the worst time of year to visit the Colleges?

That would be April and May whilst the exams are taking place. Colleges are often closed around this time to allow students to study and prepare for exams.

When is the best time of year to visit?

July and August are good because Colleges are open and there are no student’s around but King’s College Chapel Evensong is not on as it is out of term time.

June can be a great time with Evensong on, students still around and the crowds have not arrived.

If you want to see some nervous new students and get a feel for life as a student October can be fun.

Our favourite time in September when things are quietening down but the evenings are still long and mild.

Here are some other bits of information about visiting Colleges that you might wish to know:-

Cambridge Alumni can gain entrance to Colleges with their CamCard. It allows them to bring one guest with them into St. John’s or Queens’ or up to three guests in other Colleges. It even allows access with two guests into King’s College Chapel.

Cambridge residents can apply for a resident’s card at Kings Shop to gain access to Colleges for free.

Social distancing is still important to reduce the risk of spreading Covid-19. There are various measures in place within Colleges that must be adhered to. There is a new booking system for the chapel at Kings for example to keep numbers in confined spaces to a minimum.

Colleges are centres for academic study and life within them are for students, staff and fellows. It is a privilege to be allowed in as a visitor so be mindful of people trying to work.

Many people see their College as their home and identify strongly with them. Alumni and staff can choose to get married in their College chapel as example and so often a College might close for the day to allow that to happen.

If you are interested in women-only Colleges there are now only Murry Edwards and Newnham after Lucy Cavendish started to admit men in 2021.

Once you have looked round a College take the time to enjoy their gardens. Make the most of your visit. College gardens are arguably more exclusive and more enjoyable to look round than the buildings.

Fellow’s gardens are closed to the public but each summer they hold plays as a part of the Shakespeare festival. It is a chance to look inside a garden that’s rarely available to the public’s eye. Get to a performance well before the start and enjoy the garden before the play begins. Don’t forget to bring your picnic! For more information visit https://cambridgeshakespeare.com/

When walking around Colleges it’s easy to forget that the cobbles under your feet are hundreds of years old and may not be perfectly flat so do mind your step.

Fellows are often trying to educate young minds just the other side of a window as you walk around a College so do be mindful not to shout. Many areas are marked PRIVATE for good reason.

Be aware of emergency procedures in the event of an alarm. This information is usually quite clear but might be worth noting as you go in.

We hope this article has proved interesting and useful.

Plan your visit and take as much time as you can to enjoy this wonderful City.

Article by Anthony Dean www.cambridgetouristinformation.co.uk

Sources:- https://www.economist.com/britain/2019/03/14/another-women-only-cambridge-college-goes-mixed https://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/cambridge-news/cambridge-university-colleges-free-visit-13810784 College individual websites as listed in the spreadsheet above

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Privacy Overview

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Events & Hospitality

Welcome to Queens' College Hospitality

Queens' College, creating a sense of occasion through centuries of tradition.

Situated in the heart of Cambridge city centre, Queens’ College is a perfect blend of old and new, and an ideal venue for all occasions. 

The College was founded in 1448, along the banks of the River Cam. Home to a variety of outstanding dining rooms and accommodation and cutting-edge conference facilities, Queens’ has a long history of world-class catering for conferences, weddings, events and dining set against the backdrop of some of Cambridge’s most iconic views.

At Queens’, we pride ourselves on a Hospitality Team dedicated to making your event a success. We offer a bespoke approach to our packages, enabling us to tailor an event which works for you.

This site provides details of the facilities on offer. Hover your mouse over the rooms you are interested in for details of room capacity and layout options, making your choice as easy as possible.

We are always here to help. As no two events are the same, we encourage all prospective clients to give us a call or send us an email with a brief outline of your event and the dates required. Once we have received your request, we will endeavour to respond to you as soon as possible to offer our guidance.

Please refer to our information page  Privacy and GDPR information regarding our web data capture procedures.

Outstanding dining rooms, conference facilities & accommodation, in a beautiful location just a minute's walk from the heart of the city of Cambridge

Take a look at the Virtual Tours of the College 

Conferences

Stay at Queens' College

Get in touch.

Contact Our Events Team , who will be happy to assist you..

Email: [email protected] Tel: 01223 33 55 92

We will use the information submitted in this form for dealing with your request. This might include contacting you to request further details if needed or communicating a resolution. The contents of form submissions are automatically removed from our database after 3 months.

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Virtual tour of Queens' College

This is the view as you enter the College from the Porters lodge, known to College members as the Round. It is at the heart of the college on the 'new' side of the river. On this side of the river you'll find accommodation in Cripp's Court and Fisher Building, the main dining hall (Cripp's Dining Hall), the Fitzpatrick auditorium, the bar, the gym, squash courts and a variety of seminar spaces. From here you can use the Mathematical Bridge to cross to the 'old' side of the college where you'll find more accommodation, the library, the chapel, Old Hall and Old Kitchens.

Old Library

Founded in 1448, the Old Library is still situated in its original room with bookcases made from medieval lecterns. The library holds a fine and hugely significant collection of c. 20,000 early printed books and manuscripts dating from the 12th century.

The Chapel dates to 1890 is still a place of Christian worship for students during term time. The majority of the services follow the liturgy of the Church of England.

Get in touch

Contact Our Events Team , who will be happy to assist you..

Email: [email protected] Tel: 01223 33 55 92

We will use the information submitted in this form for dealing with your request. This might include contacting you to request further details if needed or communicating a resolution. The contents of form submissions are automatically removed from our database after 3 months.