Robinson College, Cambridge

**Robinson College**
	Robinson College ; UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
Cambridge,; Cambridgeshire
; Facade of Robinson College
Warden:	Sir Richard Heaton
Website:	robinson.cam.ac.uk
	Location
Grid reference:	TL43925837
Location:	52°12’17"N, -0°6’17"E

Robinson College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1977, it is one of the newest Oxbridge colleges and is unique in having been intended, from its inception, for both undergraduate and graduate students of both sexes.

The College was founded through a significant donation from the businessman and philanthropist, Sir David Robinson. In 1981 Robinson College was formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II with both undergraduate and graduate students in attendance.

The stained-glass windows of Robinson College

History

The College was founded after David Robinson offered the University £17 million to establish a new college in Cambridge. Robinson later gave his College another £1 million on the occasion of its official opening. The first graduate students and fellows joined the College in 1977. Undergraduates (20 of them) were first admitted in 1979, but significant numbers only began arriving the following year. Robinson was formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II in May 1981.

While Robinson embraces many Cambridge traditions, such as Formal Hall, a chapel and porters' lodge, it avoids others: for example, it allows its students to walk on the grass in the College gardens. In general, the College has a reputation for being slightly less formal and traditional than other Cambridge Colleges.

Buildings and grounds

Designed by the architectural firm Gillespie, Kidd & Coia, Robinson's main buildings are distinctive for the use of handmade red bricks in their construction. The College is a Grade II* listed building.^[1] In November 2008, the college was included in the "50 most inspiring buildings in Britain" by The Daily Telegraph.^[2]

Of particular note is the chapel, which contains stained-glass windows designed by John Piper and houses a renowned Frobenius organ.^[3] The oak-panelled dining hall seats 300 for formal dining and the library is remarkable for its use of woodwork, for which it was awarded the Carpenter’s Award for 1981.^[4]

The College is located a ten-minute walk west of the city centre, behind the University Library, near the science buildings in West Cambridge and the arts faculties on the university's Sidgwick Site. It stands on a twelve and a half acre wooded site of historical and horticultural interest. The College Gardens are a fusion of ten pre-existing gardens which date back to late Victorian and early Edwardian times^[5] and are crossed by the Bin Brook stream, which once supplied water to the Mediæval Hospital of St John (now St John's College).

Within its grounds are Thorneycreek House and Cottage (built in 1895), the Crausaz Wordsworth Building and the Maria Björnson outdoor theatre. Robinson owns a number of houses on Adams Road and Sylvester Road adjoining the main college site, which it uses for student accommodation.

The main entrance to the college is via a drawbridge-like ramp which is accessible to wheelchair users, and there are also some special facilities for those with physical or visual disabilities.

The Needham Research Institute is also located within the College grounds.

Pictures

Robinson College Entrance
Thorneycreek House
A section of the chapel stained-glass windows
Robinson College gardens
'Finback' sculpture by Ben Barrell
2 Adams Road (Robinson College student accommodation) viewed from across the college gardens.
Memorial stone for David Robinson
A section of the elevated walkway over Bin Brook stream