CAM 



282 



CAM 



Cambridge, hundreds, as is the practice in this country ; and in 

 ' the respective columns for the cambric and holland, 

 are placed the numbers of their reeds, which would 

 exactly correspond in fineness with each linen reed, 

 and consequently with each other. Thus, in the first 

 line, a cambric reed of 1378 divisions is equal in fine- 

 ness to a linen reed of 1500 divisions, an$l also to a 

 holland reed of 1622 divisions, 



Ninety-two divisions on the cambric scale cor- 

 respond with 100 on the linen and 108 on the hol- 

 land scale. 



The finer kinds may be found by the common rule 

 of simple proportion, as 37 is to 34, so is the lines 

 reed to the cambric. In the bleaching and dressing 

 of cambrics, much of their marketable appearance 

 consists. In those bleaching grounds or fields where 

 this branch of the business is carried on, it is neces- 

 sary, in order that it may be properly done, to use a 

 considerable variety of machinery applicable to the 

 particular purpose, but of which the minute descrip- 

 tion does not properly belong to this article. (J.D.) 



CAMBRIDGE, the seat-of a celebrated univer- 

 sity, and capital of a county of the same name, is 

 situated on the banks of the river Cam, and is sup- 

 posed to be the Granta of the Romans. Many ab- 

 surd traditions have been circulated concerning the 

 origin -of this city, which have afforded a fruitful 

 theme of disputation to the antiquaries of the sister 

 universities. But though much has been written up- 

 on this subject, little is yet known with any degree 

 of certainty. Some have even referred the founda- 

 tion of this university to the 375th year before the 

 Christian era, and have not scrupled to affirm, that 

 Anaximander and Anaxagoras were teachers of phi- 

 losophy at Cambridge ! Be this as it may, of the 

 great antiquity of this city there can be no dispute. 

 It holds a distinguished place under the name of Ca- 

 crgrant, in the lists of the British cities given by 

 Gildas and Nennius ; and numerous traces of Roman 

 labour and civilization point it out as a station once 

 belonging to that people. Ancient roads diverge 

 from this place to Ely, Haverill, Ash well, and God- 

 manchester ; and various fragments of urns, as well 

 as many Roman coins of Vespasian and his successors, 

 have been found in the adjoining fields. Dr Mason, 

 in a manuscript quoted by Mr Gough, observes, 

 that " in a gravel-pit, near a rill of water, called the 

 Vicar's Brook, many curious paterae of fine red 

 earth were found, one large vase three feet long, 

 brass lagence, a brass dish embossed, the handle of a 

 sacrificing-knife, the brasses of a pugillaris, or table 

 book, some large bones, and Roman coins, now in 

 Trinity college." 



The ancient town is supposed to have been much 

 superior to the modern Cambridge, both in extent 

 and population ; and is said to have reached from the 

 castle of Grantchester on the south, to the castle of 

 Chesterton on the north, about three miles -along the 

 western bank of the river. At present, it is only 

 about a mile in length, and half a mile in breadth, 

 being nearly of an oval form, diminishing towards 

 each extremity. The principal streets are ; Bridge- 

 street, which, crossing the river by a stone bridge 

 of one arch, extends the whole length of the town, 



and, at its south-east end, takes the aame of St An- Cambridge, 

 drew's street ; and Trumpington street, through '" ">"" <J 

 which is the entrance from London, and which, near 

 its junction with Bridge-street, is called St John's 

 lane. These streets, however, are not uniform in 

 breadth, but in many places are narrow and crook- 

 ed ; and the houses are in general old, ill-built, and 

 crowded closely together. The best houses are in 

 the market-place and the contiguous streets ; but, 

 though this town cannot boast of much elegance in 

 its appearance, it possesses both convenience and. 

 neatness, and contains some of the finest buildings 

 in the kingdom. 



The church of St Sepulchre, usually called the 

 Round Church, or, as it was originally named, 

 " the church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Jew- 

 ry," affords a curious specimen of ancient archi- 

 tecture, and is supposed to have been erected by 

 the Knights Templars, or by some persons con- 

 cerned with the Crusades, in the reign of Henry the 

 First, f It was built after the model of the church 

 of the Resurrection, or Holy Sepulchre at Jerusa- 

 lem, in the Saxon style of architecture ; and, in its 

 primary form, was completely round, with a peri- 

 style in the interior, of eight circular pillars, sup- 

 porting a conical roof. The semicircular arch over 

 the west door, is ornamented with round zig-zag 

 mouldings, which spring from Saxon capitals. It 

 has, however, been much disfigured by subsequent 

 alterations, and, in its present state, appears under 

 many disadvantages. " It is evidently," says Mr 

 Essex, a story higher than its original architect in- 

 tended it should be. This alteration was made in 

 the reign of Edward II. for the reception of bells, 

 when the windows were also altered, the chancel add- 

 ed, and the ornaments about the door defaced, and 

 partly hidden by a wooden portal." 



Great St Mary's, or the University Church, which 

 stands in the middle of the town opposite the Se- 

 nate-house, is built in the Gothic style, and has a 

 lofty tower crowned with four elegant pinnacles, but 

 is remarkable neither for its beauty nor uniformity 

 of architecture. It is about 120 feet long, and 68 

 broad, and consists of a nave, a chancel, and side 

 aisles. Here the members of the university general- 

 ly attend divine service on Sundays and holidays. A 

 handsome gallery, raised between the nave and chan- 

 cel, contains the seats of the vice-chancellor, heads 

 of colleges, noblemen, and doctors. The proctors, 

 masters of arts, fellow-commoners, &c. are accom- 

 modated in the lower part of the church ; and the 

 bachelors and under graduates sit in the galleries over 

 the side aisles. This church was erected by volun- 

 tary contribution in 1478 ; but was not finished till 

 more than a century afterwards, in 1608. Besides 

 these, there are eleven other parish churches in Cam- 

 bridge, but none of them are deserving of particu- 

 lar observation. 



The most elegant buildings of this city belong 

 to the university, consisting of twelve colleges and 

 four halls, each of which contains apartments for 

 the students and fellows, and has a master's lodge, 

 a chapel, a library, a hall, and a combination-room. 

 Before, however, we proceed to give a descrip- 



f Essex's Archaeologia, vol. vi. 



