CHAPTER II. DESCRIPTION AND HISTORY OF THE BUILDINGS. THE Quadrangle of this College is larger than any of its predecessors, being about 115 feet long, and in breadth the same as Gonville Court, namely 80 feet. It has the peculiarity of an entrance court interposed between the quadrangle and the street, like the curia of a monastery. This "First or Porter's Court" was entered by a gatehouse on the east, with chambers on either side, still existing but much altered, and having a large archway for wheel-carriages and a small lateral postern arch for foot-passengers now walled up'. The entrance from this court to the great quadrangle is by a passage on the north. Opposite to the gatehouse was the gable Hall Treasury. The new Bridge was to be for horse and foot passengers, built of timber on brick piers. The design, approved by the Mayor and the Bursar of Trinity Hall, was "to be executed under the direction of Mr James Essex, the Architect and Surveyor of the said College."] The first construction of a Bridge in this place has not been recorded. In 1573 it is mentioned by Caius (Hist. Cant. Acad. ii. 116) as "pons Gererdi, a diui Gererdi olim hospitio quod in proximo fuit." In 162 it was repaired at the expense of the Corporation (Cooper's Annals iii. 198): and again in 1649, Trinity and Trinity Hall contributing a free gift, acknowledged as such by the Town (ibid. 404): after the reconstruction in 1769 it was frequently called "the mathematical bridge," but nevertheless broke down, July 2, 1812, and was rebuilt in 1814, Trinity Hall contributing £100 (ibid. iv. 503, 509): in 1821 it was once more rebuilt of timber, at a cost of £140, defrayed by the Corporation only (ibid. 534): in 1837, it was rebuilt of iron, at a cost of £960. 195. 6d., Trinity Hall contributing L250, Trinity College £150, and Caius College £50 (ibid. 608). [In 1839 Trinity Hall gave £100 towards facing the west buttress with stone, and in 1841 defrayed the cost of the iron-work along each side of the roadway.] 1 [It must be remembered that Prof. Willis is speaking of the ancient entrance, as shewn in Loggan (fig. 2), which was subsequently blocked up, but at what period I have been unable to discover, leaving only the postern. This was then enriched with a very unsuitable head-molding and shafts. When the new buildings were erected in 1873 the gate was opened out, and subsequently removed to the entrance of the College in Garret Hostel Lane (H, fig. 1) at the expense of the Master. The smaller door was at the same time set up at the entrance to the kitchen-yard (I, ibid.), at the expense of the Rev. H. Latham, Fellow and Tutor.] [This court was originally called "The Court before the Master's Lodge." In Warren's time it had "a Little Garden in it, inclosed with pales." Warren, p. 17.] |