Queens' College is located between the River Cam and Queens' Lane, SW of the church of St Mary's on the Market.
The original court, including the hall range, was constructed of brick-faced clunch. The hall and buttery are located in the W range of the Front Court with the kitchen adjacent in the SW corner. The parlour lay at the high end of the hall in the NW corner with the president's lodge on the upper 2 storeys.
Performances by touring entertainers are recorded at Queen's College in the mid-16th c.
The buildings continue in use as Queens' College.
1448 Foundation of Queen's College by Queen Margaret of Anjou, at the initiative of Andrew Docket who had been granted an earlier charter to found the College of St Bernard on a different site in 1446.
1448--9 Original Front Court built with hall, chapel, library, gate tower and chambers, probably designed by Reginald Ely.
ca. 1450 New W range along the river built.
1465 New patron found in Queen Elizabeth Woodville. College became known as Queens' College.
1494--5 N and S ranges added to form the Cloister Court.
16th c. Timber gallery supported on brick walls added for use by the president to the NW of his lodge over the N walk of Cloister Court.
1532 Panelling added in the hall.
ca. 1540 W range along the river converted for use by the president.
1544 Site enlarged by the acquisition of the Carmelite Friary site across the lane to the N.
1564 3rd court built of clunch added S of the Cloister Court. Known as Pump or Erasmus' Court.
1616--19 New range NE of the Front Court added (known as Walnut Tree Court).
1636 New 'stagehouse' built to store timbers used for stage construction (Nelson, Early Cambridge theatres 35--6).
1732--4 Hall renovated in neoclassical style by Sir James Burrough with lowered ceiling, renovated windows, new mantelpiece, screens, gallery, panelling and reredos at the high end; chapel refurnished. Large new block along the river begun by the architect James Essex. Old hall panelling removed to the servants' hall in the president's lodge.
1773 Chapel remodelled.
1778 Fire damage led to partial rebuilding of Walnut Tree Court.
1845--6 18th c. plaster ceiling removed and hall roof restored by the architect Dawkes who added an extraneous louvre.
1854 Hall bay window filled with heraldic glass by Hardman and older glass relocated.
1858--61 Chapel restored by G.F. Bodley.
1861 and 1875 Hall redecorated by William Morris and Bodley. Fireplace restored and mantelpiece removed.
1885 New range of chambers to the N of the Front Court built, designed by W.M. Fawcett.
1890--1 Chapel rebuilt by Bodley and Thomas Garner.
1935--6 Fisher block designed by G. Drinkwater built across the river.
1959--61 Erasmus block designed by Sir Basil Spence added.
1970s New complex built across the river.
REED Cambridge 1.131
