There is archaeological evidence that life existed in Cambridge during the Bronze and Iron Ages. In fact, an old farmstead from around 1,500 BC was found on the site of Fitzwilliam College. The Romans used Cambridge for strategic purposes during their invasion of Britain in the first century AD. Castle Hill was seen as the ideal place to defend the River Cam against British tribal attacks. This Roman settlement is known as Duroliponte and it linked Colchester with Essex and was the crossing point for the Via Devana. This area remained important until the 5th century AD when it was abandoned because the Roman Empire was on the brink of collapse in the West.

Saxons And Vikings

Cambridge can be said to have been formed in AD 875 when the Vikings took over and imposed Danelaw within three years. The Vikings were known for their trading and this helped the area to grow. Castle Hill was the original town centre but this was changed to Quayside during Viking times. The Saxons came and took over the town by 1025 when they built St. Bene’t’s Church.

Medieval Cambridge

William the Conqueror took over England in 1066 and within two years, he had visited Cambridge and ordered that a castle was built there. Like all castles of the era, it was originally made from wood but was replaced by a stronger stone castle in the 12th century. Fires were always a big danger in the town and it was hit by two major fires in 1174 and 1385. The University was formed in 1209 when students from Oxford fled after being harassed by hostile townspeople. This began a fierce rivalry between the towns that is still in evidence today. Peterhouse is the oldest college in existence in Cambridge and this was built in 1284.

Middle Ages

King Henry VI began work on King’s College Chapel in 1446 and this was completed during King Henry VIII’s reign in 1515. Cambridge University Press was founded in 1534 when it was granted a printing license. It is now one of the world’s most renowned printers of academic works. Plagues badly affected the town in the 17th century and it was seen as a low and dirty place despite its university. One bright spot during that era was the creation of a stagecoach connection with London in 1653.

18th-19th Century

Cambridge’s population in the early 18th century is estimated to be slightly more than 6,000 with one quarter of this population comprised of students. In 1766, Addenbrookes Hospital was founded with the first bank appearing in the town 14 years later. Cambridge had a population of 10,000 by the beginning of the 19th century and a number of improvements were to take place. An array of important buildings were created including Fitzwilliam Museum in 1816 and the Great Bridge in 1823. By the end of the 19th century, Cambridge had horse drawn trams and electricity was brought to the town in 1893.

Modern Cambridge

At the start of the 20th century, Cambridge’s population had reached 38,000 and the town’s university was gaining a great reputation. From the 1930s onward, the population of Cambridge increased dramatically because the local council built several large housing estates in a bid to cope with the increasing population of London. It was hoped that overspill from the capital city could come to Cambridge. The town was an important evacuation centre during World War II with an estimated 7,000 people from London finding refuge there.

Cambridge was finally made a city in 1951 and continued to grow with the first shopping arcade built in the city in 1962. A second university was gained in 1992 when Anglia Polytechnic was awarded university status. It has since been renamed Anglia Ruskin University. The city is within the Diocese of Ely and this is how it managed to gain city status without having a Cathedral which is usually a prerequisite.

Redevelopments in the city are planned which includes a renewal around the Corn Exchange concert hall and a permanent ice-skating rink. This has been mooted because there is a temporary ice rink which has been a tremendous success. As Cambridge is home to one of the world’s great universities, there is no doubt that the City Council will do everything in its power to ensure that Cambridge remains relevant in the modern era.