Pembroke College, The Buildings Surrounding Old Court (Except the Chapel and Cloister) and Ivy Court is a Grade I listed building in the Cambridge local planning authority area, England. First listed on 26 April 1950. A C14 College.

Pembroke College, The Buildings Surrounding Old Court (Except the Chapel and Cloister) and Ivy Court

WRENN ID
steep-doorway-sable
Grade
I
Local Planning Authority
Cambridge
Constituency
Cambridge MP: Daniel Zeichner (Lab)
Country
England
Date first listed
26 April 1950
Type
College
OS grid reference
TL 448 580
Coordinates
52.20184, 0.11835
Source
Historic England listing

Also on this page: flood risk · radon risk · weather exposure · detailed attributes ↓

Description

Pembroke College features buildings surrounding Old Court, excluding the Chapel and Cloister, as well as Ivy Court. The Old Court West Range has origins dating back to the 14th century, but its walls were faced with ashlar in the 18th century. It includes the main gate of the College and displays some 17th-century external features, such as mullioned windows. The interior has been largely modernized, but retains some early 17th-century panelling and woodwork, likely from the Old Hall built in 1634.

The North Range retains only the core of the medieval walls beneath its 18th-century facing. The Old Library, converted from the Chapel in 1690, forms the western end of this range and features late 17th-century mullioned windows. Inside, there is a fine plaster cornice and ceiling by Henry Doogood, dated 1690, along with original bolection moulded oak panelling and bookcases. The next section of the range includes 17th-century doorcases, and one room features oak panelling from around 1630.

The East Range and Hall, designed by Alfred Waterhouse in 1875, were altered by Maurice Webb in 1925, who added the ceiling, and the windows were updated by D Kindesly in 1949. This area also contains some panelling and woodwork from the Old Hall of 1634.

Ivy Court's North Range was built between 1614 and 1616, with the eastern end added in a matching style in 1670. It is constructed of red brick with Ketton stone dressings, attributed to Robert Greenfold Mason. The interior features several late 17th-century fittings, including a fireplace, doorways, and bolection moulded panelling, along with much 18th-century panelling.

The South Range and Hitcham Building were constructed in 1659 and consist of seven bays, appearing to be built as a single structure. The Hitcham arms are displayed on both sides of the building. The interior includes two original staircases, stone fireplaces, and a significant amount of 18th-century panelling, including the area occupied by the poet Thomas Gray.

Local climate

Pembroke College, The Buildings Surrounding Old Court (Except the Chapel and Cloister) and Ivy Court 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.

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