The Senate House is a Grade I listed building in the Cambridge local planning authority area, England. First listed on 26 April 1950. A 1722-30 Academic building. 3 related planning applications.
The Senate House
- WRENN ID
- odd-minaret-finch
- Grade
- I
- Local Planning Authority
- Cambridge
- Constituency
- Cambridge MP: Daniel Zeichner (Lab)
- Country
- England
- Date first listed
- 26 April 1950
- Type
- Academic building
- OS grid reference
- TL 447 584
- Coordinates
- 52.20557, 0.11742
- Source
- Historic England listing
Description
The Senate House is a Grade I listed building constructed between 1722 and 1730 by James Gibbs, with the west end completed in stone by James Essex in 1767-1768. It is built of Portland stone ashlar. The south front features nine bays, with the central three flanked by fluted attached Corinthian columns and topped with a pedimented entablature and vases. The windows have moulded architraves and a mix of straight and curved pediments. The east end has a three-bay pedimented centerpiece. The north front mirrors the south front but lacks a centerpiece, while the west front is similar as well.
Inside, there is a continuous gallery supported by Roman Doric pilasters and complete panelling below, with woodwork by James Essex senior. The enriched plasterwork above is by Artari and Bagutti, and the marble pavement is by Christopher Cass. There are two full-length marble statues: one of the 6th Duke of Somerset by Rysbrack from 1756, and another of Pitt the Younger by Nollekens from 1812.
Local climate
The Senate House 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 — 3 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.
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Nearby listed buildings
- Urn on Senate House Lawn
- 2 Lamp Posts in Senate House Passage at the Entrance to the Old Schools
- Railings and Gates Round the Senate House
- Gonville and Caius College, The Gate of Honour and Flanking Walls
- Gonville and Caius College, The Gate of Humility
- 26, ST MARY'S STREET (See details for further address information)
- 1, Trinity Street
- 3, Trinity Street
- The Cockerell Building (Squire Law Library)
- Gonville and Caius College, Lecture Rooms