Founded at a time when there were roughly 11 male students for every female student at the university, Murray Edwards remains one of two female-only colleges at Cambridge (the other: Newnham).
History
Founded as New Hall in 1954, the college has benefited from the philanthropy of various institutions since its conception. In 1962, members of the Darwin family donated their home, ‘The Orchard’, and, in 2005, alumna Rosalind Edwards and her husband Steve Edwards donated £30 million, securing the college’s future and changing its name to honour the first president, Dame Rosemary Murray, and their benefaction. The college’s buildings (architected by Chamberlin, Powell and Bon, known primarily for their design of the Barbican in London) combine classicism with modernism, but have been met with mixed reactions: an anti-modern art group once graffitied footsteps walking over the dome of the college.
Inside Perspective
The jewel in Murray Edwards’ crown is the ‘Women’s Art Collection’. Comprising over 600 works by around 300 artists, it is the largest collection of female artists in Europe. However, unlike a ‘conventional gallery’ these artworks are hung all around the college, providing its students with the opportunity to study and socialise beneath them. The college’s active JCR (Junior Common Room: common room for undergraduate students) is also involved with the collection, as well as running quintessential Oxbridge social events. A treasured tale of Oxbridge history, students once invited one thousand people to a party at the college, which filled the entirety of Fountain Court. Featuring an illuminated fountain and waterways, and flower displays in summer, this is a central spot for studying as well as rest and recuperation. The college’s dining area, colloquially called ‘the dome’, is also home to a rising servery, upon which DJs sometimes play during special events.
Notable Alumni
Murray Edwards’ most notable alumni is the astrophysicist Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell: whilst a PhD student at the college, and a researcher as part of the university’s radio astronomy group, she discovered the first four pulsars. Other alumni include Claudia Winkleman (TV presenter) and Joanna MacGregor (concert pianist). Honorary fellows include the artists Eileen Cooper and Maggi Hambling, and the composer Thea Musgrave.
Rankings
In 2022, Murray Edwards came 27th in the Tompkins Table, out of a total 29 colleges, with a score of 63.9 and 20.8% of its students achieving a First.
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