Historic Church Tours 2019 - Churches and Colleges of Cambridge- Waiting List Only

Visit some of Cambridge's most iconic historic buildings.

This tour is currently SOLD OUT. If you would like to be added to our waiting list please call us on 0800 206 1463 or email [email protected] and we will add your name.

Our walking tour of Cambridge begins at Queens’ College with a visit to its Chapel and Hall. The college was founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou, wife of King Henry VI. The Old Hall is part of the original college while its Chapel was built and designed by George F. Bodley in the later part of the 19^th century. Inside are elegant and vibrant features including what is considered to be perhaps Bodley’s finest reredos.

St. Andrew the Great is a grade II-listed parish church with origins stretching back to the 1200s. The church was completely rebuilt in 1843 in the late-Gothic style by Ambrose Poynter with features including a nave of five bays with side aisles and a west tower of four stages.

St. Edward’s, tucked between King's Parade and Peas Hill in the city centre, is one of the oldest churches in Cambridge. The current building dates from the 14th century, with an extensive history of religious practice on the site dating back to the beginning of the 11th century. The church played an important role in the Reformation and offered reformers including Thomas Bilney, Thomas Cranmer, and Hugh Latimer are place to meet pray and study.

After lunch we move on to Jesus College. The College was founded in 1496 and adapted a range of buildings, including a 12^th-century Romanesque church, for the purposes of the college. The church was reduced to less than half its former size to allow the cloisters to be enlarged and was recast in the Gothic Perpendicular style to become the College’s Chapel.

We finish the day across the road at All Saints’ on Jesus Lane, one of the most decorative churches in our estate. Bodley, who we met earlier in the tour at Queens’ College, built and decorated the church in the 1860s alongside his work at Queens’. Inside is a treasure trove of decoration with almost every surface painted, stencilled or gilded and stained glass windows designed by some of the leading Arts & Crafts artists of the day including William Morris and Edward Burne-Jones. We are sure you will agree that it is a feast for the eyes and a fitting way to end the day.

Please note that this tour will involve a lot of walking, possibly over uneven and worn surfaces. You will be on your feet for most of the day with approximately 4 miles of walking scheduled for the day. Guests must be in a fit condition to join this tour. If you have any concerns please contact us on 0800 206 1463 before booking.