Two of Cambridge’s oldest colleges were founded by women: wealthy widows and friends Elizabeth de Clare and Marie de St Pol
Tag: Medieval
Saint Æthelthryth, the Virgin Queen of Ely
Æthelthryth, also known as Saint Etheldreda: Anglo-Saxon princess, Queen of Northumbria, founder of Ely Cathedral, and patron saint of sore throats.
Fashion Martyrs in Medieval Cambridge
From foot binding to corsets, fashion has rarely been about comfort. If you’ve ever been hobbled by heels, just know that your medieval forebears too could not resist the lure of the latest footwear fad. New research from Cambridge archaeologists has revealed that the growing fashion for pointy carrot-shaped shoes in the Middle Ages led to a marked increase in bunions in Cambridge residents.
A Royal Visit to Peterborough
Prince Edward, eldest son of King Edward I, visited Peterborough Abbey in 1306 at the age of 22. He was young, hot-headed, and eager to display his power; a perceived slight against his “favourite” Piers Gaveston leads to an awkward standoff with the abbot…
William de Longchamp, Bishop of Ely
William de Longchamp (c.1130-1197) was a medieval Lord Chancellor, Chief Justice, and Bishop of Ely Cathedral from 1189 until his death. He was a controversial figure, and one of the many accusations he faced was that he was a homosexual.
A Queer History of Cambridgeshire 