Some 30 of the Martham Local History
Group travelled 80 miles to visit Cambridge on
Saturday 2nd July.The city
grew because of its river and trade, giving the
world modern football, some of the greatest
scientists of all time, and of course its university
– founded by young students training for the
priesthood who had fallen out with the townspeople
of Oxford.Cambridge
is still as crowded as any modern medieval city but
small enough to be seen on foot. We were warned
about the bicycles, and our plucky coach driver
Simon kept his patience and to time. We first
visited the Fitzwilliam Museumand then
Pembroke College,many people going on to
the beautiful botanical gardens, or other museums
like the Polar Museum nearby.
One of the finest of the UK’s regional
museums, the Fitzwilliam collections are important
for three good reasons.First,
they vary (paintings, ceramics, textiles and
samplers; arms/armour; arts from Asia, Cyprus, Egypt
and north Africa; and manuscripts).Second,
they are well curated.Third, there is a very personal feel about
each of the collections.The guides
were excellent and knowledgeable, showing us their
particular favourite treasures.
Many of us had never visited a
Cambridge College.Pembroke is one of the oldest Cambridge
colleges, founded in 1347 by the Countess of
Pembroke, Marie de St Pol.The
college is small with a single court, chapel, hall,
kitchen and buttery, library, Master’s lodgings and
students’ rooms.The original chapel is now the Old Library.The chapel
is the first completed work by Sir Christopher Wren
and there are many other architectural features.Pembroke
was attended by Thomas Bowman, vicar of Martham from
1759 to his death in 1792.Bowman was
a poor scholar who came from a family of leather
workers. He made a friend of the poet
Christopher Smart, also a ‘sizar’ (ie waited on the
fellows as a servant).Thomas Bowman was a musician and composer of
songs and hymns, served Martham for over 30 years
and in later years carried out a ‘missionary’ role
preaching in Buxton and North Norfolk. The current
Master is Chris Smith (The Rt Hon Lord Smith of
Finsbury PC MA PhD), the former Culture Secretary,
who was responsible for ensuring that museum entry
is free entry.
Some of us visited the botanic gardens,
home to 8,000 species and over 40 acres and only a
short walk from the Fitzwilliam.Founded in
1762 it is certain that Charles Darwin knew the
gardens: his close friend and professor of botany,
John Stevens Henslow (between 1825 and 1861)
influenced the young Darwin and supervised the move
to where the garden is now.
Others visited the Polar Museum, established a century ago in 1920
as a memorial to Captain Robert Falcon Scott, RN,
and his four companions, who died returning from the
South Pole in 1912. When Scott's last words, "For
God's sake look after our people" were
made known to the British nation, the response was
tremendous.The museum is full of intriguing
things: the Shackleton memorabilia is particularly
famous.It
is 8 minutes from the Fitzwilliam. Admission free.
There are at least five other
museums to see in Cambridge, like the Sedgwick
Museum of Earth Sciences; the Museum of
Zoology; Museum of Archaeology and
Anthropology,and the Museum of Classical Archaeology.Perhaps
the most famous is Kettles Yard with its fine
collection of personal art and objects set in a
lovely home.All these are free, within easy walking
distance, and a reminder of culture on our doorstep.Sadly, you
have to book a long way ahead to see Kettles Yard, a
very popular place with excellent exhibitions – next
time perhaps!
