Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Cambridge

Many of the best hotels in Cambridge are also some of the nicest places to stay in the whole of the UK, but there is a lot more to this historical city than luxurious accommodation and beautiful scenery in the very heart of England.

In fact, Cambridge has a long and interesting history which spans several centuries and covers topics as diverse as education, sport, politics and culture. Of course, most people are aware that Cambridge is home to one of the UK’s best universities, has an annual boat race and is rich in stunning architecture but there are a lot of other facts that are less well known.

Do you reckon your trip planning has given you a real insight into Cambridge? Are you proud of your knowledge of our beautiful city? Read on to see how many of these little known facts about Cambridge surprise you…

    • Cambridge University has produced 89 Nobel Prize winners over the years, in no less than six different disciplines. These disciplines are physics, peace, chemistry, medicine, literature and physiology.
    • Approximately 25% of people who live in Cambridge cycle to work, the highest percentage in the United Kingdom.
  • Cambridge is well known for punting and is one of the most recognisable punting locations in the UK. This is with good reason; there are more punts on Cambridge’s River Cam than on any other river in the UK.
  • Pink Floyd, one of the world’s most famous rock bands of the 60s and 70s, was formed in Cambridge. The band’s founder Syd Barrett was born in Cambridge in 1946 and died in Cambridge in 2006. Many other members of the band were educated in different places around the city.
  • Today’s rules for football were first established in Cambridge’s Parker’s Piece public park in 1848. The park in the city centre was where the first official game of football with rules similar to the rules used today was played. It was these rules that formed the basis for the FA’s official rules in 1863.
  • Wooden Bridge in Cambridge has been referred to as The Mathematical Bridge for many years. As you’d expect, there’s an interesting story behind the nickname and it all stems from the fact that the Wooden Bridge was first built using mathematical principles. Back in 1749 the bridge was designed by William Etheridge and built by James Essex. The wooden sections of the bridge are arranged in a series of angles and tangents that create a completely self-supportive structure.

As you can see, Cambridge is a pretty interesting city and with so many activities to do and historical sites to see it isn’t hard to understand why it is such a popular destination for tourists and holidaymakers. Finding somewhere nice to stay isn’t difficult, and many of the best hotels in Cambridge – such as Clayton Hotel – are able to provide luxury accommodation for any type of trip.

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