Emmanuel College is located along St Andrews' Street, SE of the church of St Mary's on the Market.
The original college consisted of 2 courts, the Front Court to the W and the N or New Court where entrance was made from Emmanuel Lane. The hall, extensively renovated in the 18th c., is in the N range on the S side with the kitchen on the W side and the chapel on the E. The New Court was not closed to the street until the 19th c.
Performances by touring musicians are recorded at Emmanuel College in the 1630s.
The buildings continue in use as Emmanuel College.
1584 Founded by Sir Walter Mildmay on the site of a Dominican friary. The Dominican church was converted in the N range as a hall with buttery adjacent to the W and parlour to the E by the architect Ralph Symons. The master's lodge was situated at the E end of the same range. Other Dominican buildings were incorporated as chambers in the W range. A new kitchen range was built on the N side of the hall and another range of chambers on the S side of the court.
1633--4 Long range known as Brick Building added as an extension from the S side of the Front Court to the E.
1677 New chapel designed by Christopher Wren completed on the E side of Front Court. The old chapel in the New Court was converted as the library.
1694 Improvements to the hall included new wainscotting, painting, the addition of the 'reredos' behind the high table and the screen at the low end.
1719--22 S range of Front Court rebuilt and renamed Westmoreland Building.
1760--4 Hall refitted by James Essex, who refronted the S side in ashlar and installed a lower ceiling. The N front was partly refaced and new dormer windows inserted.
1769--75 W range replaced by a classical block designed by James Essex.
1820s New Court closed on the N side by a neo-Tudor range.
20th c. Further building, including the North Court, opened in 1914.
REED Cambridge 1.627
