Catharine Hall, Cambridge

Trinity Hall, Cambridge

Trinity Hall is the fifth oldest college of the University of Cambridge, founded in 1350 by William Bateman, Bishop of Norwich.

Foundation

The devastation caused by the Black Death plague of the 1340s caused the loss of nearly half of the English population; Bishop Bateman himself lost nearly 700 of his parish priests, and so his decision to found a college was probably centred around a need to rebuild the priesthood. Thus in the foundation of 1350, Bateman stated that the college's aim was "the promotion of divine worship and of canon and civil science and direction of the commonwealth and especially of our church and diocese of Norwich." This led the college to be particularly strong in legal studies, a tradition that has continued over the centuries.

Buildings

The college site on the River Cam was originally obtained from the purchase of a house from John de Crauden to house the monks during their study, and the main court was built in the college's first few decades.

The chapel was licensed in 1352 and built in 1366, in the year that Pope Urban V granted the Master and Fellows permission to celebrate Mass in the college. In 1729, Sir Nathaniel Lloyd redecorated the chapel in what, despite subsequent enlargements, remains an intimate style, forming the smallest of the University's chapels. The painting in the chapel is Maso da San Friano's Salutation or Visitation, depicting Mary's visit to Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist.

Like the chapel, the Hall of the college was rebuilt by Sir Nathaniel Lloyd and enlarged in the 19th century. It also remains one of the smallest and most intimate halls in the University.

The college library was built in the late sixteenth century, probably during the mastership of Thomas Preston and is now principally used for the storage of manuscripts and rare books. The new Jerwood Library overlooking the river was opened by Lord Howe in 1999.

The college also owns properties in the centre of Cambridge; on Bateman Street; and on its Wychfield Site next to Fitzwilliam College.

College life

Historically, Trinity Hall was known for being strong in Law; today, it has strengths not only in Law but across a range of academic subjects including both sciences and arts. Situated on the River Cam, hidden between Clare College and Trinity College, the college is known for its friendly and (by Cambridge standards) unpretentious atmosphere. It also performs well at sport (notably rowing, and its Boat Club) and has well-known musical and dramatic societies.

It is a relatively small institution when compared to its larger but younger neighbour, Trinity College, founded in 1546. At first all colleges in Cambridge were known as halls (e.g. Pembroke College was called Pembroke Hall) and then later changed their names from Hall to College. However, when Henry VIII founded Trinity College (thereby effectively stealing Trinity Hall's name) next door, it became clear that Trinity Hall would continue being known as a Hall. This is also why it is incorrect to call it Trinity Hall College.

The present Master is historian Professor Martin Daunton

Masters

Notable alumni

Name	Birth	Death	Career
Hans Blix	1928		Former UN Chief Weapons Inspector
Stephen Hawking	1942		Physicist
J.B. Priestley	1894	1984	Writer
Marshall McLuhan	1911	1980	Media theorist
Frances Harrison	1966		BBC Tehren Corrspondent
Chris Weitz	1969		Film Director
Rachel Weisz	1971		Academy Award-winning actress
Robert Runcie	1921	2000	Former Archbishop of Canterbury
Andrew Marr	1959		Political journalist and broadcaster
Nicholas Hytner	1956		Theatre and film director
Terry Waite	1939		Fellow Commoner of Trinity Hall
Geoffrey Howe	1926		Former MP and Chancellor of the Exchequer
Mark Tully	1935		BBC radio broadcaster
Samuel Pepys	1633	1703	Diarist
Robert Herrick	1591	1674	Poet
Admiral Howard	1536	1624
Donald Maclean	1913	1983	Soviet spy
Khwaja Nazimuddin	1894	1964	Pakistan's second Prime Minister
David Sheppard	1929	2005	Bishop and cricketer
Ronald Firbank	1886	1926	Novelist
Billy Fiske	1911	1940	Olympian and first American fatality of WWII
Tony Slattery	1959		Perrier Comedy Award-winning comedian
Matthew Holness			Perrier Comedy Award-winning creator of Garth Marenghi
Sophie Winkleman	1981		Actress
Magnus Linklater	1942		Journalist
Greville Janner	1928		Politician
Norman Fowler	1938		Politician
Lord Millett	1932		Law Lord
Lord Nicholls	1933		Law Lord
Nicholas Tomalin	1931	1973	Journalist and reporter
Thomas Bilney	1495	1531	Protestant reformer and martyr
Alfred Maudslay	1850	1931	Archaeologist, explorer, and diplomat
Emma Pooley	1982		Olympic silver medalist

Paired Oxford Colleges

Many Cambridge and Oxford Colleges are informally 'paired' with one another. Trinity Hall is paired both with All Souls College, Oxford and University College, Oxford.

References

Trinity Hall: The History of a Cambridge College, 1350-1975, Charles Crawley, ISBN 0-9505122-0-6
The Hidden Hall: Portrait of a Cambridge College, Peter Pagnamenta, ISBN 1-903942-31-4