Robinson College | |
---|---|
University | Cambridge University |
Location | Grange Road (map) |
Full name | The Warden and Fellows of Robinson College in the University of Cambridge |
Established | 1977 |
Named for | Sir David Robinson |
Sister college | St Catherine's College, Oxford |
Warden | David Yates |
Undergraduates | 397 |
Postgraduates | 162 |
Fellows | 110 |
Website | www |
Students' Association | www |
MCR | mcr |
Boat club | www |
Robinson College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. Founded in 1977, Robinson is the newest of the Cambridge colleges and is unique in being the only one to have been intended, from its inception, for both undergraduate and graduate students of either sex.
The college was founded after the British philanthropist Sir David Robinson offered the university £17 million to establish a new college in Cambridge; this is one of the largest donations ever accepted by the university. 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. The college was formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II in May 1981.
Despite maintaining some Cambridge traditions, such as Formal Hall, the college has avoided others: for example, it is one of the few colleges that allows its students to walk on the grass in the college gardens. Robinson is in general less formal and traditional than most of the older colleges in the university.
The Arms of the College are described as follows: 'Azure in base two Bars wavy Argent over all a Pegasus rampant Or gorged with a Crown rayonny Gules.'
The Latin grace is read before the start of formal hall.
Latin: Benedic, domine, nobis et donis tuis, per Jesum Christum dominum nostrum. Amen.
Lord, bless us and your gifts, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Designed by the Scottish architectural firm Gillespie, Kidd & Coia, Robinson's main buildings are distinctive for the use of red bricks in their construction. In November 2008 the College was named in the "50 most inspiring buildings in Britain" by The Daily Telegraph. Of particular note are the library and chapel, the latter with stained-glass windows designed by John Piper.