Old Court

The Old Court project has been a truly mammoth undertaking. It has involved, among other things, the construction of a temporary bridge over the Cam, the installation of a crane in the Master’s Garden, and the creation of temporary kitchens and dining facilities in the centre of the court. Up to seventy percent of the roof timbers in Old Court have had to be either replaced or repaired (each one bespoke, to meet the strict requirements of Historic England); miles of new wiring have been installed; every last slate has been painstakingly removed from the roof, and either dressed for reinstatement or replaced with newly quarried stone (which involved re-opening one of the last remaining Collyweston quarries – again, a requirement of Historic England). The scaffolding operation itself has been a feat of engineering: at one point earlier this year, three sides of Old Court were completely swathed in a forest of steel beams.

Now, as the scaffolders dismantle the final sections, the lead-workers (some of whom worked on the roof of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris) replace the final sections in the string courses, and the decorators apply the finishing touches to the rooms and staircases of Old Court, the beating heart of Clare is emerging, once again, like a butterfly from a chrysalis. What Paul Mellon memorably described as ‘the most beautiful building in England’ will once again frame the quintessential view of Cambridge, to beckon countless more generations of students as they walk down the Avenue and over Clare Bridge to dine, sing, study or socialise.

Over half an acre of slates, 6.2 miles of new wiring, 1.4 miles of new pipework, 1,500 square metres of leadwork, 285 windows and 11 chimneys: the statistics of the Old Court project are impressive, but they tell only half the story.

Equally impressive have been the skill and dedication of the huge team of people who have been involved in delivering the project. The architects, structural engineers, contractors, specialist workers, project managers and – not least – the College’s own Estates Department have devoted themselves to restoring Old Court for most of the past 7 years. Each one of them can take pride in the finished result.

As Interim Estates Bursar, then Bursar, for the last 20 months, it has been my responsibility – and privilege – to oversee the successful completion of the Old Court project. Every day I remember with gratitude my predecessor Barnabas Oley who, as Bursar and ‘Master of the Fabric’, oversaw the initial construction of Old Court in the 17th century. Unlike Oley, who died three decades before the court was complete, I have lived to see the restoration finished!

I am also enormously grateful to the 1,000+ donors who have given so generously to the Campaign for Old Court, making the restoration possible.

Every member of Clare has their own memories of Old Court. Its grand yet homely architecture and warm enveloping presence have shaped everyone who has lived, studied or spent time in the College. As we prepare to celebrate the 700th anniversary of our foundation, I hope that as many members of Clare as possible will come back in 2026 to see the immaculately restored court for themselves – to see these old buildings again, to remember, and to give thanks.

Toby Wilkinson, Bursar

To read the full Estates report, click here.