Note 169 — Chapter II · THE COLLEGES

The main artery of the xiv and xv century university was not, as now, the High street, but the Mill street (Milne street). It lay in a direct line between Clare Hall and Queens’ Lane, and 7 colleges had their entrances on it: Michaelhouse, Trinity Hall, Clare, old King’s College, S. Catherine’s, and Queens’. Gonville was approached from the north end, and King’s Hall lay on the same side. The church and property of the Knights of S. John and Garret’s and Ovyng’s hostels were in the same street. Mill street began at Queens’ Lane, and led northwards from the King’s and the Bishop’s Mills, which gave it its name. The larger part was alienated in 1445 to build the second King’s College.

Another characteristic feature of old Cambridge was the King’s Ditch made by Henry III. in 1267, which starting from Castle Mound, with a walk beside it, formed the western boundary of King’s Hall, Michaelhouse, and Trinity Hall, and polluted the water supply of Peterhouse even in Andrew Perne’s time.