Cambridge
Cambridge | |
|---|---|
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
 Cambridge shown within Cambridgeshire | |
| Coordinates: 52°12′18″N 00°07′21″E / 52.20500°N 0.12250°E | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Country | England |
| Region | East of England |
| County | Cambridgeshire |
| City region | Cambridgeshire and Peterborough |
| Founded | c. 1209 as Granta Brygg |
| City status | 1951 |
| Administrative HQ | Cambridge Guildhall |
| Government | |
| • Type | Non-metropolitan district |
| • Body | Cambridge City Council |
| • Executive | Leader and cabinet |
| • Control | No overall control |
| • Leader | Cameron Holloway [2] (L) |
| • Mayor | Dinah Pounds |
| • MPs | |
| Area | |
• Total | 16 sq mi (41 km2) |
| • Rank | 258th |
| Population (2024)[4] | |
• Total | 149,352 |
| • Rank | 152nd |
| • Density | 9,500/sq mi (3,670/km2) |
| Demonym | Cantabrigian |
| Ethnicity (2021) | |
| • Ethnic groups | |
| Religion (2021) | |
| • Religion | List
|
| Time zone | UTC+0 (GMT) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (BST) |
| Postcode areas | |
| Dialling codes | 01223 |
| GSS code | E07000008 |
| Website | cambridge |
.jpg)
Cambridge (/ˈkeɪmbrɪdʒ/ ⓘ KAYM-brij)[6] is a city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, 55 miles (89 km) north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of the City of Cambridge was 145,700;[7] the population of the wider built-up area (which extends outside the city council area) was 181,137.[8] There is archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dating back to as early as the Bronze Age, and Cambridge became an important trading centre during the Roman and Viking eras. The first town charters were granted in the 12th century, although modern city status was not officially conferred until 1951.
The city is well known as the home of the University of Cambridge, which was founded in 1209 and consistently ranks among the best universities in the world.[9][10] The buildings of the university include King's College Chapel, Cavendish Laboratory, and the Cambridge University Library, one of the largest legal deposit libraries in the world. The city's skyline is dominated by several college buildings, along with the spire of the Our Lady and the English Martyrs Church, and the chimney of Addenbrooke's Hospital. Anglia Ruskin University, which evolved from the Cambridge School of Art and the Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology, also has its main campus in the city.
Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology Silicon Fen also known as the Cambridge Cluster, which contains industries such as software and bioscience and many start-up companies born out of the university. Over 40 per cent of the workforce have a higher education qualification, more than twice the national average. The Cambridge Biomedical Campus, one of the largest biomedical research clusters in the world, includes the headquarters of AstraZeneca and the relocated Royal Papworth Hospital.[11]
Cambridge produced the first 'Laws of the Game' for association football and was the site of the first game, which was held at Parker's Piece. The Strawberry Fair music and art festival and Midsummer Fair are held on Midsummer Common, and the annual Cambridge Beer Festival takes place on Jesus Green. The city is adjacent to the M11 and A14 roads.
History
[edit]Prehistory
[edit]Settlements have existed around the Cambridge area since prehistoric times. The earliest clear evidence of occupation is the remains of a 3,500-year-old farmstead discovered at the site of Fitzwilliam College.[12] Archaeological evidence of occupation through the Iron Age is a settlement on Castle Hill from the 1st century BC, perhaps relating to wider cultural changes occurring in southeastern Britain linked to the arrival of the Belgae.[13]
Roman
[edit]The principal Roman site is a small fort (castrum) Duroliponte on Castle Hill, just northwest of the city centre around the location of the earlier British village. The fort was bounded on two sides by the lines formed by the present Mount Pleasant, continuing across Huntingdon Road into Clare Street. The eastern side followed Magrath Avenue, with the southern side running near to Chesterton Lane and Kettle's Yard before turning northwest at Honey Hill.[14] It was constructed around AD 70 and converted to civilian use around 50 years later. Evidence of more widespread Roman settlement has been discovered, including numerous farmsteads[15] and a village in the Cambridge district of Newnham.[16]
Medieval
[edit]
Following the Roman withdrawal from Britain around 410, the location may have been abandoned by the Britons, although the site is usually identified as Cair Grauth,[17] as listed among the 28 cities of Britain in the History of the Britons attributed to Nennius.[19] Evidence exists that the invading Anglo-Saxons had begun occupying the area by the end of the century.[20] Their settlement – also on and around Castle Hill – became known as Grantebrycge[22] ("Granta bridge"). Anglo-Saxon grave goods have been found in the area. During this period, Cambridge benefited from good trade links across the hard-to-travel fenlands. By the 7th century, the town was less significant and described by Bede as a "little ruined city" containing the burial site of Æthelthryth (Etheldreda).[21] Cambridge sat on the border between the East and Middle Anglian kingdoms, and the settlement slowly expanded on both sides of the river.[21]. A recent article suggests the medieval location known as 'Holm' in St. Clements Parish is the site of the Battle of the Holme fought in 902. [23]
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle reports that Vikings arrived in 875; they imposed Viking rule, the Danelaw, by 878.[24] Their vigorous trading habits resulted in rapid growth of the town. During this period, the town's centre shifted from Castle Hill on the left bank of the river to the area now known as the Quayside on the right bank.[24] After the Viking period, the Saxons enjoyed a return to power, building churches, such as St Bene't's Church, as well as wharves, merchant houses, and a mint which produced coins with the town's name abbreviated to "Grant".[24]
In 1068, two years after the Norman Conquest of England, William the Conqueror erected a castle on Castle Hill, the motte of which survives.[21] Like the rest of the newly conquered kingdom, Cambridge fell under the control of the King and his deputies.
Cambridge's first town charter was granted by Henry I between 1120 and 1131. It granted the town monopoly of waterborne traffic and hithe tolls and recognised the borough court.[25] The distinctive Round Church dates from this period.[26] In 1209, Cambridge University was founded by Oxford students fleeing from hostility.[27][28] The oldest existing college, Peterhouse, was founded in 1284.[29]
Cambridge had a significant Jewish community in the middle ages, centred on what is now known as All Saints Passage, then known as the Jewry. A synagogue stood nearby. In January 1275, Eleanor of Provence expelled Jews from all of the towns within her dower lands, and the Jews of Cambridge were ordered to relocate to Norwich.[30]
In 1349, Cambridge was affected by the Black Death. Few records survive but 16 of 40 scholars at King's Hall died.[31] The town north of the river was severely impacted, being almost wiped out.[32] Following further depopulation after a second national epidemic in 1361, a letter from the Bishop of Ely suggested that two parishes in Cambridge be merged as there were not enough people to fill even one church.[31] With more than a third of English clergy dying in the Black Death, four new colleges were established at the university over the following years to train new clergymen, namely Gonville Hall, Trinity Hall, Corpus Christi, and Clare.[33]
In 1382, a revised town charter effected a "diminution of the liberties that the community had enjoyed", due to Cambridge's participation in the Peasants' Revolt. This charter transferred supervision of baking and brewing, weights and measures, and forestalling and regrating, from the town to the university.[25] The Cambridge Parliament was held in Barnwell Priory in 1388.
King's College Chapel was begun in 1446 by King Henry VI.[34] Built in phases by a succession of kings of England from 1446 to 1515 — its history intertwined with the Wars of the Roses — the chapel was completed during the reign of King Henry VIII.[34] The building would become synonymous with Cambridge, and currently is used in the logo for the Cambridge City Council.[35]
Early modern
[edit]_(110198041).jpg)
Following repeated outbreaks of pestilence throughout the 16th century,[36] sanitation and fresh water were brought to Cambridge by the construction of Hobson's Conduit in the early 1600s. Water was brought from Nine Wells, at the foot of the Gog Magog Hills to the southeast of Cambridge, into the centre of the town.[37]
Cambridge played a significant role in the early part of the English Civil War as it was the headquarters of the Eastern Counties Association, an organisation administering a regional East Anglian army, which became the mainstay of the Parliamentarian military effort before the formation of the New Model Army.[38] In 1643 control of the town was given by Parliament to Oliver Cromwell, who had been educated at Sidney Sussex College in Cambridge.[39] The town's castle was fortified and garrisoned with troops and some bridges were destroyed to aid its defence. Although Royalist forces came within 2 miles (3 km) of the town in 1644, the defences were never used, and the garrison was stood down the following year.[38]
Early-industrial era
[edit]| Cambridge Inclosure Act 1807 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
.svg) | |
| Long title | An Act for inclosing Lands in the Parish of Saint Andrew the Less, otherwise called Barnwell, in the Town of Cambridge, in the County of Cambridge, and certain Lands in the Parishes of Saint Andrew the Great, Saint Mary the Great, and Saint Mary the Less, or some or one of them, in the said Town of Cambridge, lying intermixed with the Lands in the said Parish of Saint Andrew the Less, otherwise called Barnwell. |
| Citation | 47 Geo. 3 Sess. 2. c. 60 Pr. |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 13 August 1807 |
In the 19th century, in common with many other English towns, Cambridge expanded rapidly, due in part to increased life expectancy and improved agricultural production leading to increased trade in town markets.[40] The Histon and Impington Inclosure Act 1801 (41 Geo. 3. (U.K.) c. 112 Pr.), the Trumpington Inclosure Act 1801 (41 Geo. 3. (U.K.) c. 128 Pr.), and the Cambridge Inclosure Act 1807 (47 Geo. 3 Sess. 2. c. 60 Pr.) enabled the town to expand over surrounding open fields.[41]
The railway came to Cambridge in 1845 after initial resistance, with the opening of the Great Eastern Railway's London to Norwich line. The station was outside the town centre following pressure from the university to restrict travel by undergraduates.[42] With the arrival of the railway and associated employment came development of areas around the station, such as Romsey Town.[43] The rail link to London stimulated heavier industries, such as the production of brick, cement and malt.[40]
20th and 21st centuries
[edit]From the 1930s to the 1980s, the size of the city was increased by several large council estates.[44] The biggest impact has been on the area north of the river, which are now the estates of East Chesterton, King's Hedges, and Arbury where Archbishop Rowan Williams lived and worked as an assistant priest in the early 1980s.[45]
During World War II, Cambridge was an important centre for defence of the east coast. The town became a military centre, with an RAF training centre and the regional headquarters for Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, Hertfordshire, and Bedfordshire established during the conflict.[38] The town itself escaped relatively lightly from German bombing raids, which were mainly targeted at the railway. 29 people were killed and no historic buildings were damaged. In 1944, a secret meeting of military leaders held in Trinity College laid the foundation for the allied invasion of Europe.[40] During the war Cambridge served as an evacuation centre for over 7,000 people from London, as well as for parts of the University of London.[38]
Cambridge was granted its city charter in 1951 in recognition of its history, administrative importance and economic success.[38] Cambridge does not have a cathedral, traditionally a prerequisite for city status, instead falling within the Church of England Diocese of Ely. In 1962, Cambridge's first shopping arcade, Bradwell's Court, opened on Drummer Street, though this was demolished in 2006.[46] Other shopping arcades followed at Lion Yard, which housed a relocated Central Library for the city, and the Grafton Centre which replaced Victorian housing stock which had fallen into disrepair in the Kite area of the city. This latter project was controversial at the time.[47]
The city gained its second university in 1992 when Anglia Polytechnic became Anglia Polytechnic University. Renamed Anglia Ruskin University in 2005, the institution has its origins in the Cambridge School of Art opened in 1858 by John Ruskin.
Governance
[edit]
There are two main tiers of local government covering Cambridge, at district and county level: Cambridge City Council and Cambridgeshire County Council. Since 2017, both authorities have been members of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority. The leader of the city council is the city's representative on the combined authority, which is led by the directly-elected Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.[48][49] The district covers most of the city's urban area, although some suburbs extend into the surrounding South Cambridgeshire district. The city council's headquarters are in the Guildhall, a large building in the market square.[50][51]
Westminster
[edit]The parliamentary constituency of Cambridge covers most of the city; Daniel Zeichner (Labour) has represented the seat since the 2015 general election. The seat was generally held by the Conservatives until it was won by Labour in 1992, then taken by the Liberal Democrats in 2005 and 2010, before returning to Labour in 2015. A southern area of the city, Queen Edith's ward and Cherry Hinton ward,[52] falls within the South Cambridgeshire constituency, whose MP is Pippa Heylings (Lib Dems), first elected in 2024.
The University of Cambridge formerly had two seats in the House of Commons; Sir Isaac Newton was one of the most notable MPs. The Cambridge University constituency was abolished under 1948 legislation, and ceased at the dissolution of Parliament for the 1950 general election, along with the other university constituencies.
Administrative history
[edit]Cambridge was an ancient borough. Its earliest known municipal charter was issued by Henry I in the early 12th century.[53] A subsequent charter from King John in 1207 permitted the appointment of a mayor;[54] the first recorded mayor, Harvey FitzEustace, served in 1213.[55] Until the 20th century, the borough covered the same area as Cambridge's fourteen ancient parishes.[a] The borough did not include Cambridge Castle, which was in the neighbouring parish of Chesterton.[56][41]
The borough was reformed to become a municipal borough in 1836 under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835.[57] The borough's responsibilities were primarily judicial and regulatory rather than providing public services or infrastructure. A separate body of improvement commissioners was established in 1788 to maintain the city's streets, and the commissioners were gradually given other local government functions relating to sewers and public health. The commissioners were abolished in 1889 and their functions taken on by the borough council.[58][59]
The borough was enlarged in 1912 to take in Chesterton to the north and some areas from neighbouring parishes to the south.[60] It was extended again in 1934 to take in Cherry Hinton, Trumpington, and parts of several other neighbouring parishes.[61] The borough was awarded city status in 1951.[62] In 1974, Cambridge was made a non-metropolitan district; it kept the same boundaries, which had last been expanded in 1934, but there were changes to the council's responsibilities.[63]
Geography and environment
[edit]
Cambridge is situated about 55 miles (89 km) north-by-east of London and 95 miles (153 km) east of Birmingham. The city is located in an area of level and relatively low-lying terrain just south of the Fens, which varies between 6 and 24 metres (20 and 79 ft) above sea level.[64] The town was thus historically surrounded by low-lying wetlands that have been drained as the town has expanded.[65]
The underlying geology of Cambridge consists of gault clay and Chalk Marl, known locally as Cambridge Greensand,[66] partly overlaid by terrace gravel.[65] A layer of phosphatic nodules (coprolites) under the marl was mined in the 19th century for fertiliser; this became a major industry in the county, and its profits yielded buildings such as the Corn Exchange, Fulbourn Hospital, and St. John's Chapel until the Quarries Act 1894 and competition from America ended production.[66]
The River Cam flows through the city from the village of Grantchester, to the southwest. It is bordered by water meadows within the city such as Sheep's Green as well as residential development.[65] Like most cities, modern-day Cambridge has many suburbs and areas of high-density housing. The city centre of Cambridge is mostly commercial, historic buildings, and large green areas such as Jesus Green, Parker's Piece and Midsummer Common. Some of the roads in the centre are pedestrianised.
Population growth has seen new housing developments in the 21st century, with estates such as the CB1[67] and Accordia schemes near the station,[68] and developments such as Great Kneighton, formally known as Clay Farm,[69] and Trumpington Meadows[70] currently under construction in the south of the city. Other major developments currently being constructed in the city are Darwin Green (formerly NIAB), and University-led developments at West Cambridge and North West Cambridge, (Eddington).
The entire city centre, as well as parts of Chesterton, Petersfield, West Cambridge, Newnham, and Abbey, are covered by an Air Quality Management Area, implemented to counter high levels of nitrogen dioxide in the atmosphere.[71]
Climate
[edit]The city has an oceanic climate (Köppen: Cfb).[72] Cambridge has an official weather observing station, at the Cambridge University Botanic Garden, about one mile (1.6 km) south of the city centre. In addition, the Digital Technology Group of the university's Department of Computer Science and Technology[73] maintains a weather station on the West Cambridge site, displaying current weather conditions online via web browsers or an app, and also an archive dating back to 1995.[74]
The city, like most of the UK, has a maritime climate highly influenced by the Gulf Stream. Located in the driest region of Britain,[75][76] Cambridge's rainfall averages around 570 mm (22.44 in) per year, around half the national average.[77] The driest recent year was in 2011 with 380.4 mm (14.98 in)[78] of rain at the Botanic Garden and 347.2 mm (13.67 in) at the NIAB site.[79] This is just below the semi-arid precipitation threshold for the area, which is 350 mm of annual precipitation.[80] Conversely, 2012 was the wettest year on record, with 812.7 mm (32.00 in) reported.[81] Snowfall accumulations are usually small, in part because of Cambridge's low elevation, and low precipitation tendency during transitional snow events.
Owing to its low-lying, inland, and easterly position within the British Isles, summer temperatures tend to be somewhat higher than areas further west, and often rival or even exceed those recorded in the London area. Cambridge also often records the annual highest national temperature in any given year – 30.2 °C (86.4 °F) in July 2008 at NIAB[82] and 30.1 °C (86.2 °F) in August 2007 at the Botanic Garden[83] are two recent examples. Other years include 1876, 1887, 1888, 1892, 1897, 1899 and 1900.[84] The absolute maximum stands at 39.9 °C (103.8 °F) recorded on 19 July 2022 at Cambridge University Botanic Garden.[85] Before this date, Cambridge held the record for the all-time maximum temperature in the UK, after recording 38.7 °C (101.7 °F) on 25 July 2019. Typically the temperature will reach 25.1 °C (77.2 °F) or higher on over 25 days of the year over the 1981–2010 period,[86] with the annual warmest day averaging 31.5 °C (88.7 °F)[87] over the same period.
The absolute minimum temperature recorded at the Botanic Garden site was −17.2 °C (1.0 °F), recorded in February 1947,[88] although a minimum of −17.8 °C (0.0 °F) was recorded at the now defunct observatory site in December 1879.[89] More recently the temperature fell to −15.3 °C (4.5 °F) on 11 February 2012,[90] −12.2 °C (10.0 °F) on 22 January 2013[91] and −10.9 °C (12.4 °F)[92] on 20 December 2010. The average frequency of air frosts ranges from 42.8 days at the NIAB site,[93] to 48.3 days at the Botanic Garden[94] per year over the 1981–2010 period. Typically the coldest night of the year at the Botanic Garden will fall to −8.0 °C (17.6 °F).[95] Such minimum temperatures and frost averages are typical for inland areas across much of southern and central England.
Sunshine averages around 1,500 hours a year or around 35% of possible, a level typical of most locations in inland central England.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Record high °C (°F) | 15.7 (60.3) |
18.8 (65.8) |
23.9 (75.0) |
27.9 (82.2) |
34.0 (93.2) |
35.0 (95.0) |
39.9 (103.8) |
36.9 (98.4) |
33.9 (93.0) |
29.0 (84.2) |
21.1 (70.0) |
16.0 (60.8) |
39.9 (103.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 7.8 (46.0) |
8.6 (47.5) |
11.5 (52.7) |
14.6 (58.3) |
18.0 (64.4) |
20.8 (69.4) |
23.3 (73.9) |
22.9 (73.2) |
19.9 (67.8) |
15.3 (59.5) |
10.9 (51.6) |
8.1 (46.6) |
15.1 (59.2) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 4.8 (40.6) |
5.2 (41.4) |
7.3 (45.1) |
9.7 (49.5) |
12.8 (55.0) |
15.6 (60.1) |
17.9 (64.2) |
17.7 (63.9) |
15.0 (59.0) |
11.4 (52.5) |
7.5 (45.5) |
5.0 (41.0) |
10.8 (51.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 1.7 (35.1) |
1.7 (35.1) |
3.1 (37.6) |
4.7 (40.5) |
7.5 (45.5) |
10.5 (50.9) |
12.6 (54.7) |
12.5 (54.5) |
10.2 (50.4) |
7.4 (45.3) |
4.2 (39.6) |
1.9 (35.4) |
6.5 (43.7) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −16.1 (3.0) |
−17.2 (1.0) |
−11.7 (10.9) |
−6.1 (21.0) |
−4.4 (24.1) |
−0.6 (30.9) |
2.2 (36.0) |
3.3 (37.9) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
−6.5 (20.3) |
−13.3 (8.1) |
−15.6 (3.9) |
−17.2 (1.0) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 47.2 (1.86) |
35.9 (1.41) |
32.2 (1.27) |
36.2 (1.43) |
43.9 (1.73) |
52.3 (2.06) |
53.2 (2.09) |
57.6 (2.27) |
49.3 (1.94) |
56.5 (2.22) |
54.4 (2.14) |
49.8 (1.96) |
568.4 (22.38) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 10.7 | 8.9 | 8.1 | 7.9 | 7.4 | 8.7 | 8.4 | 8.7 | 8.1 | 9.5 | 10.5 | 10.3 | 107.3 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 86.0 | 82.5 | 78.6 | 74.6 | 74.8 | 73.9 | 72.5 | 73.7 | 77.5 | 83.3 | 87.0 | 87.8 | 79.4 |
| Source 1: ECA&D[96] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Weather.Directory[97] | |||||||||||||
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Record high °C (°F) | 15.4 (59.7) |
18.3 (64.9) |
23.9 (75.0) |
26.9 (80.4) |
33.4 (92.1) |
33.5 (92.3) |
39.9 (103.8) |
36.1 (97.0) |
32.0 (89.6) |
29.3 (84.7) |
18.3 (64.9) |
16.1 (61.0) |
39.9 (103.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 7.7 (45.9) |
8.3 (46.9) |
11.0 (51.8) |
14.1 (57.4) |
17.4 (63.3) |
20.4 (68.7) |
23.1 (73.6) |
22.9 (73.2) |
19.6 (67.3) |
15.1 (59.2) |
10.7 (51.3) |
8.0 (46.4) |
14.9 (58.8) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 4.8 (40.6) |
5.0 (41.0) |
7.0 (44.6) |
9.4 (48.9) |
12.4 (54.3) |
15.4 (59.7) |
17.8 (64.0) |
17.7 (63.9) |
15.0 (59.0) |
11.5 (52.7) |
7.6 (45.7) |
5.1 (41.2) |
10.7 (51.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 1.9 (35.4) |
1.8 (35.2) |
3.1 (37.6) |
4.6 (40.3) |
7.4 (45.3) |
10.5 (50.9) |
12.6 (54.7) |
12.6 (54.7) |
10.5 (50.9) |
7.9 (46.2) |
4.5 (40.1) |
2.2 (36.0) |
6.7 (44.1) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −16.0 (3.2) |
−15.3 (4.5) |
−9.4 (15.1) |
−5.9 (21.4) |
−1.8 (28.8) |
0.0 (32.0) |
4.8 (40.6) |
3.3 (37.9) |
−0.6 (30.9) |
−5.4 (22.3) |
−8.9 (16.0) |
−12.5 (9.5) |
−16.0 (3.2) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 48.6 (1.91) |
35.7 (1.41) |
32.9 (1.30) |
37.6 (1.48) |
43.2 (1.70) |
49.1 (1.93) |
48.3 (1.90) |
55.9 (2.20) |
47.6 (1.87) |
58.7 (2.31) |
52.6 (2.07) |
49.2 (1.94) |
559.4 (22.02) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 10.4 | 8.7 | 8.1 | 8.0 | 7.3 | 8.7 | 8.4 | 9.0 | 8.0 | 9.6 | 10.4 | 10.5 | 107.2 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 57.2 | 77.8 | 118.4 | 157.2 | 182.7 | 182.5 | 190.0 | 181.3 | 144.0 | 110.3 | 67.6 | 53.7 | 1,522.7 |
| Source 1: Met Office[98] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Starlings Roost Weather[99][100] | |||||||||||||
Ecology
[edit]The city contains three Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), at Cherry Hinton East Pit, Cherry Hinton West Pit, and Travellers Pit,[101] and ten Local Nature Reserves (LNRs): Sheep's Green and Coe Fen, Coldham's Common, Stourbridge Common, Nine Wells, Byron's Pool, West Pit, Paradise, Barnwell West, Barnwell East, and Logan's Meadow.[102]
Green belt
[edit]Cambridge is completely enclosed by green belt as a part of a wider environmental and planning policy first defined in 1965 and formalised in 1992.[103][104] While some small tracts of green belt exist on the fringes of the city's boundary, much of the protection is in the surrounding South Cambridgeshire[105] and nearby East Cambridgeshire[106] districts, helping to maintain local green space, prevent further urban sprawl and unplanned expansion of the city, as well as protecting smaller outlying villages from further convergence with each other as well as the city.[107]
Demography
[edit]
At the 2011 census, the population of the Cambridge contiguous built-up area (urban area) was 158,434,[108] while that of the City Council area was 123,867.[109]
In the 2001 Census held during University term, 89.44% of Cambridge residents identified themselves as white, compared with a national average of 92.12%.[110] Within the university, 84% of undergraduates and 80% of post-graduates identified as white (including overseas students).[111]
Cambridge has a much higher than average proportion of people in the highest paid professional, managerial or administrative jobs (32.6% vs. 23.5%)[112] and a much lower than average proportion of manual workers (27.6% vs. 40.2%).[112] In addition, 41.2% have a higher-level qualification (e.g. degree, Higher National Diploma, Master's or PhD), much higher than the national average proportion (19.7%).[113]
Centre for Cities identified Cambridge as the UK's most unequal city in 2017 and 2018. Residents' income was the least evenly distributed of 57 British cities measured, with its top 6% earners accounting for 19% of its total income and the bottom 20% for only 2%, and a Gini coefficient of 0.460 in 2018.[114][115]
Historical population
[edit]| Year | Population | Year | Population | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1749 | 6,131 | 1901 | 38,379 | |||
| ⋮ | 1911 | 40,027 | ||||
| 1801 | 10,087 | 1921 | 59,212 | |||
| 1811 | 11,108 | 1931 | 66,789 | |||
| 1821 | 14,142 | 1951 | 81,500 | |||
| 1831 | 20,917 | 1961 | 95,527 | |||
| 1841 | 24,453 | 1971 | 99,168 | |||
| 1851 | 27,815 | 1981 | 87,209 | |||
| 1861 | 26,361 | 1991 | 107,496 | |||
| 1871 | 30,078 | 2001 | 108,863 | |||
| 1891 | 36,983 | 2011 | 123,900 | |||
Local census 1749[116] Census: Regional District 1801–1901[117] Civil Parish 1911–1961[118] District 1971–2011[119]
Ethnicity
[edit]| Ethnic Group | Year | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991[120] | 2001[121] | 2011[122] | 2021[123] | |||||
| Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
| White: Total | 86,519 | 94.1% | 97,365 | 89.4% | 102,205 | 82.5% | 108,570 | 74.6% |
| White: British | – | – | 85,472 | 78.5% | 81,742 | 66.0% | 77,195 | 53.0% |
| White: Irish | – | – | 1,708 | 1.6% | 1,767 | 1.4% | 1,885 | 1.3% |
| White: Gypsy or Irish Traveller | – | – | 109 | 0.1% | 110 | 0.1% | ||
| White: Roma | 885 | 0.6% | ||||||
| White: Other | – | – | 10,185 | 9.4% | 18,587 | 15.0% | 28,495 | 19.6% |
| Asian or Asian British: Total | 3,371 | 3.7% | 6,410, | 5.9% | 13,618, | 11% | 21,626 | 14.9% |
| Asian or Asian British: Indian | 906 | 1.0% | 1,952 | 1.8% | 3,413 | 2.8% | 5,916 | 4.1% |
| Asian or Asian British: Pakistani | 248 | 0.3% | 513 | 0.5% | 742 | 0.7% | 1,500 | 1.0% |
| Asian or Asian British: Bangladeshi | 438 | 0.4% | 976 | 0.9% | 1,849 | 1.7% | 2,874 | 2.0% |
| Asian or Asian British: Chinese | 909 | 1.0% | 2,325 | 2.1% | 4,454 | 3.6% | 6,362 | 4.4% |
| Asian or Asian British: Other Asian | 870 | 0.9% | 644 | 0.6% | 3,160 | 2.6% | 4,974 | 3.4% |
| Black or Black British: Total | 1,080 | 1.2% | 1,461 | 1.3% | 2,097 | 1.7% | 3,561 | 2.4% |
| Black or Black British: African | 315 | 786 | 1,300 | 2,519 | 1.7% | |||
| Black or Black British: Caribbean | 454 | 547 | 598 | 639 | 0.4% | |||
| Black or Black British: Other Black | 311 | 128 | 199 | 403 | 0.3% | |||
| Mixed or British Mixed: Total | – | – | 2,141 | 2% | 3,944 | 3.2% | 7,410 | 5.2% |
| Mixed: White and Black Caribbean | – | – | 454 | 728 | 1,152 | 0.8% | ||
| Mixed: White and Black African | – | – | 214 | 470 | 1,010 | 0.7% | ||
| Mixed: White and Asian | – | – | 735 | 1,501 | 2,987 | 2.1% | ||
| Mixed: Other Mixed | – | – | 738 | 1,245 | 2,261 | 1.6% | ||
| Other: Total | 963 | 1% | 1,486 | 1.4% | 2,003 | 1.6% | 4,507 | 3.1% |
| Other: Arab | – | – | – | – | 908 | 1,141 | 0.8% | |
| Other: Any other ethnic group | 963 | 1% | 1,486 | 1.4% | 1,095 | 3,366 | 2.3% | |
| Total | 91,933 | 100% | 108,863 | 100% | 123,867 | 100% | 145,674 | 100% |
Religion
[edit]| Religion | 2001[124] | 2011[125] | 2021[126] | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
| Holds religious beliefs | 69,433 | 63.8 | 65,828 | 53.1 | 66,225 | 45.5 |
 Christian |
62,764 | 57.7 | 55,514 | 44.8 | 51,335 | 35.2 |
 Buddhist |
1,139 | 1.0 | 1,573 | 1.3 | 1,668 | 1.1 |
 Hindu |
1,293 | 1.2 | 2,058 | 1.7 | 3,301 | 2.3 |
 Jewish |
850 | 0.8 | 870 | 0.7 | 1,057 | 0.7 |
 Muslim |
2,651 | 2.4 | 4,897 | 4.0 | 7,392 | 5.1 |
 Sikh |
205 | 0.2 | 213 | 0.2 | 322 | 0.2 |
| Other religion | 531 | 0.5 | 703 | 0.6 | 1,122 | 0.8 |
| No religion | 28,965 | 26.6 | 46,839 | 37.8 | 65,160 | 44.7 |
| Religion not stated | 10,465 | 9.6 | 11,200 | 9.0 | 14,315 | 9.8 |
| Total population | 108,863 | 100.0 | 123,867 | 100.0 | 145,700 | 100.0 |
Economy
[edit]
The town's river link to the surrounding agricultural land, and good road connections to London in the south meant Cambridge has historically served as an important regional trading post. King Henry I granted Cambridge a monopoly on river trade, privileging this area of the economy of Cambridge.[127] The town market provided for trade in a wide variety of goods and annual trading fairs such as Stourbridge Fair and Midsummer Fair were visited by merchants from across the country. The river was described in an account of 1748 as being "often so full of [merchant boats] that the navigation thereof is stopped for some time".[128] For example, 2000 firkins of butter were brought up the river every Monday from the agricultural lands to the northeast, particularly Norfolk, to be unloaded in the town for road transportation to London.[128] Changing patterns of retail distribution and the advent of the railways led to a decline in Cambridge's importance as a market town.[129]
Cambridge today has a diverse economy with strength in sectors such as research and development, software consultancy, high value engineering, creative industries, pharmaceuticals and tourism.[130] Described as one of the "most beautiful cities in the world" by Forbes in 2010,[131] with the view from The Backs being selected as one of the 10 greatest in England by National Trust chair Simon Jenkins. Tourism generates over £750 million for the city's economy.[132]
Cambridge and its surrounds are sometimes referred to as Silicon Fen, an allusion to Silicon Valley, because of the density of high-tech businesses and technology incubators that have developed on science parks around the city. Many of these parks and buildings are owned or leased by university colleges, and the companies often have been spun out of the university.[133] Cambridge Science Park, which is the largest commercial R&D centre in Europe, is owned by Trinity College;[134][135] St John's is the landlord of St John's Innovation Centre.[136] Technology companies include Abcam, CSR, ARM Limited, CamSemi, Jagex and Sinclair.[137] Microsoft has located its Microsoft Research UK offices in West Cambridge, separate from the main Microsoft UK campus in Reading, and also has an office on Station Road.
Cambridge was also the home of Pye Ltd, founded in 1898 by W. G. Pye, who worked in the Cavendish Laboratory; it began by supplying the university and later specialised in wireless telegraphy equipment, radios, televisions and also defence equipment.[40] Pye Ltd evolved into several other companies including TETRA radio equipment manufacturer Sepura. Another major business is Marshall Aerospace located on the eastern edge of the city. The Cambridge Network keeps businesses in touch with each other.
Transport
[edit]
Air
[edit]Cambridge City Airport has no scheduled services and is used mainly by charter and training flights[139] and by Marshall Aerospace for aircraft maintenance. London Stansted Airport, about 30 miles (48 km) south via the M11 or direct rail, offers a broad range of international destinations.
Cycling
[edit]The city lies on fairly flat land and has the highest level of cycle use in the UK.[140] According to the 2001 census, 25% of residents travelled to work by bicycle. Furthermore, a survey in 2013 found that 47% of residents travel by bike at least once a week.[141]
Railway
[edit]
Cambridge railway station was opened in 1845.[142] Trains run to King's Lynn and Ely (via the Fen Line), Norwich (via the Breckland Line), Leicester, Birmingham New Street, Peterborough, Stevenage, Ipswich, Stansted Airport, Brighton and Gatwick Airport.
The station has direct rail links to London with termini at London King's Cross (via the Cambridge Line and the East Coast Main Line), Liverpool Street (on the West Anglia Main Line) and St Pancras (on the Thameslink line). Fast trains to London King's Cross run every half-hour during peak hours, with a journey time of 53 minutes, and these are supplemented by semi-fast trains to Brighton via London St Pancras, and slow trains to London King's Cross.[143] The station's original line to London was to Bishopsgate, via Bishops Stortford.
A second railway station, Cambridge North, opened in May 2017.[144][145][146] A third railway station, Cambridge South, opened in June 2026 serving the Cambridge Biomedical Campus.[147] The former station of Cherryhinton, for Cherry Hinton, operated when it was separate village to Cambridge.
Several railway lines were closed during the 1960s, including the Cambridge and St Ives branch line, the Stour Valley Railway, the Cambridge to Mildenhall railway and the Varsity Line to Oxford.
Road
[edit]Areas outside the centre are car dependent causing traffic congestion in the drivable parts of centre.[148] The M11 motorway from east London terminates to the north-west of the city where it joins the A14, a road from the port of Felixstowe to Rugby. The A428 connects the city with the A1 at St Neots as the A421 (via Bedford and Milton Keynes) on to Oxford. The A10 connects via Ely to King's Lynn to the north and the historic route south to the City of London.
Buses
[edit]
Cambridge has five Park and Ride sites, all of which operate seven days a week and are aimed at encouraging motorists to park near the city's edge.[149] Since 2011, the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway has carried bus services into the centre of Cambridge from St Ives, Huntingdon and other towns and villages along the routes, operated by Stagecoach in the Fens and Whippet.[150] The A service continues on to the railway station and Addenbrookes, before terminating at a new Park and Ride in Trumpington. Since 2017, it has also linked to Cambridge North railway station.
Service 905 provides a connection with Oxford, although passengers wishing to continue beyond Bedford have to change to service X5; both services are operated by Stagecoach East and run daily.
Future plans
[edit]In February 2020, consultations opened for a transport system known as the Cambridgeshire Autonomous Metro. It would have connected the historic city centre and the existing busway route with the mainline railway stations, Cambridge Science Park and Haverhill.[151] In May 2021 the newly elected mayor said he was focused instead on a "revamped bus network" but would not yet abandon the work done. As of November 2022[update], the Greater Cambridge Partnership is consulting on plans comprising: transforming the bus network; investing in other sustainable travel schemes; and introducing a Cambridge Congestion Charge as part of a Sustainable Travel Zone.[152]
In 2024, Cambridge Connect proposed repurposing the planned route of the cancelled metro as a light railway. Known as the Isaac Newton line, it would connect the mainline railway stations with Cambourne, the guided busway station at Trumpington, Haverhill, Addenbrookes Hospital, and a new station in Cambridge city centre.[153]
Education
[edit]
Cambridge's two universities,[154] the collegiate University of Cambridge and the local campus of Anglia Ruskin University, serve around 30,000 students, by some estimates.[155] Cambridge University stated its 2020/21 student population was 24,270,[156] and Anglia Ruskin reports 24,000 students across its two campuses (one of which is outside Cambridge, in Chelmsford) for the same period.[157] ARU now (2019) has additional campuses in London and Peterborough. State provision in the further education sector includes Hills Road Sixth Form College, Long Road Sixth Form College, and Cambridge Regional College. The Open University had a presence in the city between 1979 and 2018.[158][159][160]
Both state and private schools serve Cambridge pupils from nursery to secondary school age. State schools are administered by Cambridgeshire County Council, which maintains 251 schools in total,[161] 35 of them in Cambridge city.[162] Netherhall School, Chesterton Community College, the Parkside Federation (comprising Parkside Community College and Coleridge Community College), North Cambridge Academy and the Christian inter-denominational St Bede's School provide comprehensive secondary education.[163] Many other pupils from the Cambridge area attend village colleges, an educational institution unique to Cambridgeshire, which serve as secondary schools during the day and adult education centres outside of school hours.[164] Independent schools in the city include The Perse School, Stephen Perse Foundation, Sancton Wood School, St Mary's School, Heritage School and The Leys School.[165] The city has one university technical college, Cambridge Academy for Science and Technology, which opened in September 2014.
Sport
[edit]Football
[edit]
Cambridge played a unique role in the invention of modern football: the game's first set of rules was drawn up by members of the university in 1848. The Cambridge Rules were first played on Parker's Piece and had a "defining influence on the 1863 Football Association rules", which again were first played on Parker's Piece.[166]
The city is home to Cambridge United, who play at the Abbey Stadium. Formed in 1912 as Abbey United, they were elected to the Football League in 1970 and reached the Second Division in 1978, although a serious decline in them in the mid-1980s saw them drop back down to the Fourth Division and almost go out of business. Success returned to the club in the early 1990s when they won two successive promotions and reached the FA Cup quarter finals in both of those seasons and, in 1992, they came close to becoming the first English team to win three successive Football League promotions which would have taken them into the newly created FA Premier League; however, they were beaten in the play-offs and another decline set in. In 2005, they were relegated from the Football League and, for the second time in twenty years, narrowly avoided going out of business. After nine years of non-league football, they returned to the Football League in 2014 by winning the Conference National play-offs.
Cambridge United WFC is a women's only football club based in Cambridge. The team compete in the FA Women's National League South East. The club plays home games at St Neots Town's Rowley Park stadium and the Abbey Stadium.
Cambridge City, of the Northern Premier League Division One Midlands, now play in neighbouring St Ives. Formed in 1908 as Cambridge Town, the club were Southern Premier League champions in 1962–63, the highest they have finished in the English football pyramid. After a legal dispute with their landlords,[167] the club left their City Ground stadium in 2013 to groundshare at Histon's Bridge Road ground. The club have plans to open their own new ground in Sawston in 2024.[168]
Cricket
[edit]Parker's Piece was used for first-class cricket matches from 1817 to 1864.[169] The University of Cambridge's cricket ground, Fenner's, is located in the city and is one of the home grounds for minor counties team Cambridgeshire CCC.[170] The Cambridgeshire Cricket Association operates an amateur club cricket league with six adult divisions, including numerous clubs in the city, plus junior divisions.[171] Most of the university colleges also operate their own teams, and there are several casual village cricket teams that play in the city suburbs.
Rugby
[edit]The city is represented in both codes of Rugby football. Rugby union club Cambridge R.U.F.C. were founded in 1923[172] and play in the RFU Championship[173] at their home ground, Grantchester Road, in the south-west corner of the city. Cambridge Lions represent the city in rugby league and are members of East Rugby League.[174]
Water sports
[edit].jpg)
The River Cam, which runs through the city centre, is used for boating. The university and its colleges are well known for rowing and the Cambridgeshire Rowing Association, formed in 1868, organises competitive rowing on the river outside of the university.[175] Rowing clubs based in the city include City of Cambridge RC, Cambridge '99 RC, Cantabrigian RC and Rob Roy BC. Parts of the Cam are used for recreational punting, a type of boating in which the craft is propelled by pushing against the river bed with a quant pole.
Cambridge Swimming Club, Cambridge Dive team and City of Cambridge Water Polo Club are all based at Parkside Swimming Pool.[176]
Parkour/freerunning
[edit]Cambridge is home to several traceurs, it is known for its active and historically influential parkour and freerunning community.[177][178]
Other sports
[edit]Cambridge is home to two real tennis courts (out of about 50 in the world) at Cambridge University Real Tennis Club.[179][180] Cambridgeshire Cats play