Cambridge Day-Trip

 

I had been to Cambridge one time previously and that was for my 2016 sabbatical.  At that time I was studying the history of mathematics more generally and was quite centered at Trinity College here - was being hosted by a very gracious professor.  Cambridge really has no connection to the three mathematicians I'm focusing on specifically this time, but I wanted to get out here again to see and experience two things that I missed the first time.  One of those things is the Corpus Clock pictured above and below.  It was here already in 2016, but Dr. Stephen Hawking is the one who had unveiled it, and there was no love lost between Piers, the professor hosting me, and Hawking, so anytime we got near this Piers redirected me and said, "We shall not look upon that abomination."  Sorry, Piers, but I couldn't resist. 

The inscription is "Mundus transit et concupiscentia eius" meaning "The world and its desires pass away."  This seems like a fitting inscription for a timepiece.  The monstrous grasshopper on top is called the chronophage, quite literally the "time eater."

Here is a video of the Corpus Clock in action:

Speaking of time, construction of this college, King's College Cambridge, was founded 581 years ago in 1441 by King Henry VII.  Other than a quick peek at the Corpus Clock, my day was really book-ended with King's College.  I took a tour of the chapel in the morning, and I worshipped in the college chapel in the evening.  For now I'll move on to other sights of the day and will end with the gloriousness that is King's College Chapel.  After the tour I went out the back and crossed the Cam.

I headed over to the University Library.  This building is a bit younger than King's, having been built in 1934.  I wanted to check it out partly because of the unfinished C. S. Lewis novella The Dark Tower.

Because I've considered trying to finish that unfinished work, I did look around a bit and thus found this lovely flower-strewn pathway on the side!

After spending some time in this area, I mostly walked past old haunts on my way to get a punting tour (and later in the day did some walking as well), so, in no particular order, here are some photos of Cambridge generally.  

The Great Gate of Trinity College Cambridge with King Henry VIII above - holding a chair leg instead of a scepter due to a student prank years (centuries?) ago.

A scion of Newton's apple tree in front of Trinity College, Cambridge.

Dating back much further than King's College or Trinity College is the round church.  It dates back to about 1115 - so more like 900 years old!  A friend of mine used to practice organ here (and in other churches and chapels) when she lived in Cambridge!  Her teacher was John Scott, who went on to be organist of St. Paul's Cathedral, London.

Senate House and Senate House Passage

Caius and Gonville College.  "Caius" is pronounced "keys."

Such wonderfully winding passage ways!

It was finally time to punt.  Not only does this provide the best views of the colleges of anyplace in town, but by this time I REALLY needed to sit down, and it felt WONDERFUL!  Also, the day was very warm, and I had dressed quite warmly, so it was really nice to be low on the water!

I'm glad I hired a professional punter; let's just leave it at that.

The Wren Library of Trinity College, Cambridge

Here is a very short video clip of punting:

Clare College, King's College Chapel, King's College:

Magdalene College, Cambridge, where C. S. Lewis taught in his later years.

I had time for one more thing before evensong, and that was to climb the tower of Great St. Mary for the best view over the city.

Clare and King's:

Gonville and Caius, Trinity, and St. John's:

A different view of the Wren:

Getting to the top of the tower is no small matter - through tiny doorways and up, up, up 123 of the narrowest steps in one of the tightest spiral staircases I've ever seen, so I treated myself to a lemon sorbet right afterward.  (The guy running this ice-cream stand was very wise in his choice of location!)

And then it was time for evensong.  After saying a bit about it, I think I'll just close with pictures of King's College Chapel and let them speak for themselves.  Participating in this service was one of the most worshipful experiences in my life.  I wanted it to last forever.  The building itself cries out glory to God, and it is as if the ceiling is lifting itself in praise.  The voices of the boys (choir) were so beautiful as to seem truly unreal.  There is no way that pictures can do any sort of justice to the experience.  The music was positively exquisite and haunting.  Looking up at the organ and seeing it seem to gracefully cradle the fan-vaulted ceiling moved my heart to such a degree that what came to my mind were words from a poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay: "Here such a passion is as stretcheth me apart, -- Lord, I do fear Thou'st made the world too beautiful this year; My soul is all but out of me  .  .  ."

"Here such a passion is as stretcheth me apart -- my soul is all but out of me!"