Trinity Hall, The Buildings Surrounding Front Court, With The West Range Of South Court, The Masters Lodge And The Library

Trinity Hall comprises the buildings surrounding Front Court, together with the West Range of South Court, the Master's Lodge, and the Library, forming one of Cambridge's most important medieval college complexes.

Front Court is largely of the second half of the 14th century, making it the largest enclosed court of its age and the earliest to include a chapel. Building began around 1350. The Court underwent some alterations from the 16th century onwards, but major improvements began in the early 18th century and culminated in comprehensive modernization between 1741 and 1743, probably to designs by James Burrough. The entire court was ashlar-faced, given a Classical appearance, sash windows were inserted throughout, interiors were modernized, and the buildings were completely re-roofed in slate.

The East Range originally dated to the late 14th and 18th centuries but was burnt out in 1852 and rebuilt by A Salvin. The stone and door surrounds were reused and the 18th-century design was repeated with the addition of a further storey. The interior retains no features earlier than 1852.

The South Range comprises one and two storeys with attics beneath a continuous roof. Three bays with a central passage project slightly. Sash windows with glazing bars are a consistent feature. The Chapel's external features date to the 18th and 19th centuries. Internally it possesses a fine plaster ceiling of segmental barrel form. Notable fittings include 16th-century brasses, a lectern of circa 1730, early 17th-century panelling, marble paving from 1729-30, an oak reredos of 1730 (reset in 1864), and screen, panelling and stalls from 1730.

The West Range comprises one storey and two storeys with attics beneath a continuous roof, with the second storey added between 1560 and 1584. The Hall was extended in 1890-1, at which point the 18th-century ceiling was destroyed. An octagonal timber cupola with lead-covered dormer dates to 1743-5. The Hall itself consists of six bays with a late 19th-century hammerbeam roof. A mid-18th-century fireplace and screen survive. The Library-Annexe retains fielded panelling from 1730-1 and a fireplace surround of the same date.

The North Range rises to two storeys with attics. Its interior was completely gutted in 1928-9 and now contains medieval, 18th-century, and modern features with varied fenestration. Several rooms contain reset features from different periods. Dr Eden's Room preserves a three-bay timber ceiling of circa 1500 and is lined with oak panelling of circa 1625, with an overmantel of circa 1625 featuring a Roman Doric order. Another room contains oak fielded panelling and a fireplace from 1725-30.

The West Range of South Court dates to 1823 and is constructed in grey brick, three storeys high, with slate roof, stone copings and cills, and a plain parapet. Sash windows with glazing bars and semi-circular headed doorways are features. The interior is quite plain.

The Master's Lodge appears as a modern building except for one late 16th-century gabled bay on the north end of the west front. The original 14th-century Lodge was extended in the 16th century, improved in 1804 and 1822, with the south wing rebuilt in 1823. The whole was enlarged and partly rebuilt by A Salvin in 1852, and again altered and refronted in 1890-2 by Grayson and Ould.

The Library Range dates to circa 1584. It is two storeys high, constructed in red brick with stone dressings and a tiled roof. The ground floor features five two and three-light stone mullioned windows, whilst the first floor has eight one and two-light windows of similar type. The building exhibits stepped gables. The ground floor was remodelled in 1863 and 1935. The Library above retains a plain plaster ceiling and five late 16th-century bookcases with contemporary seats.