bed breakfast cambridge
 |
 |
bed breakfast cambridge, accommodation, royston, melbourn, duxford, farmhouse, business, stansted, luton, ely, quiet, comfortable, countryside, village, airport, bed breakfast cambridge
This is the site of the original crossings that gave Cambridge its name. It is just South-East of Magdalene College, and carries Bridge Street over the Cam. Now known as Magdalene Bridge, earlier versions were more commonly referred to as Great Bridge. There have been a succession of wooden bridges on this site. The lands listed for pontage between 1236 and 1752 show that only landowners West of the Cam were liable for keeping these bridges in good repair. In 1754 the last wooden bridge was replaced by a stone bridge designed by James Essex.
The current 1823 bridge is of cast-iron and ashlar. Arthur Browne was both architect and contractor. The main sections were cast in Derby, and the rest in Cambridge.
It is one of the earliest examples in Britain of the three-pin arch arrangement, which allows for movement within the structure under load, and is the earliest cast iron bridge in Cambridge. Stylistically, it is of interest for its 18th century Gothic-revival linear decoration.
St John's College Gatehouse comprises three storeys. On each corner, and slightly taller than the rest of the tower, are stone-quoined angle turrets. Each of the upper floors has two windows facing the street and one facing the Court. Like the somewhat earlier gatehouse of Jesus, and even more similarly to that of its sister foundation, Christ's, it has four-centred entrance arches with ogee canopies. On the street side, to the left and right of the ogee with its finial, there is a display of heraldic carving described by Pevsner as gorgeous. The animals are yales, which of course have goat heads, antelope bodies and elephant tails.
There is a figure of St John above the entrance. This was replaced in 1662. The ground floor is fan vaulted, and the heavy door has heavy linenfold panelling 1535 King's College Chapel chancel stalls and screen Called de ly Antyk at the time, Italian and Renaissance art was originally no more than a fashion of decoration at the court of Henry VIII. The chancel stalls and screen are a fine example of this early English Renaissance style. In the opinion of Pevsner, the quality of contemporary wood carving is not excelled this side of the Alps. The precise date of execution is unknown, though the presence of the initial and arms of Anne Boleyn in the carving suggest it was during the period when she was Queen, 1533-36.
This date is totally consistent with the style. According to Pevsner, it clearly derives from the North Italian style of Pavia or Como, most probably via France and the style of Francis I. It characteristic of French Mannerism, and connected with craftsmen of the French court.
So Pevsner thinks the craftmanship is French. Willis and Clark suggest that it is the work of an unknown Italian craftman. Rawle is bolder, putting forward a possible name: Benedetto da Rovezzano, a Florentine sculptor of 1474-1552. According to a leaflet obtained from the Chapel itself, it is the work of Philip the Carver, a foreigner of unknown nationality. The only concensus seems to be that an English craftman was not responsible, the style being far too sophisticated for that time.