Clare College, The Buildings Surrounding the Fore and Principal Courts is a Grade I listed building in the Cambridge local planning authority area, England. First listed on 26 April 1950. A Early Renaissance College. 6 related planning applications.
Clare College, The Buildings Surrounding the Fore and Principal Courts
- WRENN ID
- lost-pewter-yew
- Grade
- I
- Local Planning Authority
- Cambridge
- Constituency
- Cambridge MP: Daniel Zeichner (Lab)
- Country
- England
- Date first listed
- 26 April 1950
- Type
- College
- Period
- Early Renaissance
- Address
- Clare College, The Buildings Surrounding the Fore and Principal Courts, CB2 1TL
- OS grid reference
- TL 446 584
- Coordinates
- 52.2051, 0.11562
- Source
- Historic England listing
Description
Clare College consists of buildings surrounding the Fore and Principal Courts, constructed between 1638 and 1715 using Ketton and Weldon stone ashlar, with roofs made of Collyweston stone slate and lead. The construction was delayed by the Civil War, but the result is a remarkably unified and fine example of Early Renaissance architecture. The East Range and Main Gateway were built between 1638 and 1641, with alterations made in 1891. The South Range was completed between 1640 and 1642, featuring many 17th-century internal elements. The North Range, which includes the Hall and Library, was constructed from 1683 to 1693 by Robert Grumbold, with the Hall's interior altered between 1870 and 1872 by Sir Matthew Digby Wyatt. The Library's woodwork was crafted by James Essex in 1729. The West Range was built from 1640 to 1715, and the Master's Lodge was remodeled in 1815, retaining many features from the late 17th and early 18th centuries. The Chapel, designed by Sir James Burrough and James Essex, was built between 1763 and 1769.
Local climate
Clare College, The Buildings Surrounding the Fore and Principal Courts sits in one of the driest parts of the UK, with an average of 690 mm of rain a year. This makes it drier than 96% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is lower than that of 82% of listed buildings.
It experiences an average of 32 freeze-thaw cycles a year, fewer than 57% of listed buildings. Of these, 15 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.
Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.
More on this building
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- No EPC on record for this property
- No sale records on file
- Related listed building consents — 6 applications
- Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
- Flood risk assessment
- Radon risk assessment
- Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
Matched applications, energy data and sale records are assembled automatically and may contain errors. Flag incorrect data.
Similar buildings
The closest matches to this building from all 493,000 UK listed buildings, by architecture, period and materials.
- 1 Christ's College, The Buildings Surrounding Entrance Court, with the South East Range of Second Court
- 2 Emmanuel College, Buildings Surrounding Front and New Courts and the Brick Building
- 3 The Buildings Surrounding Principal Court, St Catharine's College
- 4 King's College, South Range of First Court, Including the Library and the Former Provost's Lodge
- 5 Sidney Sussex College, The Buildings Surrounding Hall Court and Chapel Court
this building 1 similar nearby listed buildings
Nearby listed buildings
- Clare College, Gates and Railings to Trinity Hall Lane
- Trinity Hall, Waterhouse Building
- The Law School and University Offices
- King's College, Chapel
- Trinity Hall, The Buildings Surrounding Front Court, with the West Range of South Court, The Masters Lodge and the Library
- Clare College, Railings Gates and Brick Plinth Walls on Either Side of the Causeway Between the College West Gate and the Bridge
- Clare College, Wall on South Side of Fellows' Garden
- Clare College, Wall on North Side of Master's Garden
- The Cockerell Building (Squire Law Library)
- Trinity Hall, North Boundary Wall of Fellows' Garden