Clare Bridge

Clare Bridge is the oldest surviving bridge over the Cam in Cambridge, and after the English Civil War it was for a time practically the only stone crossing in the city centre, because other bridges had been deliberately demolished for strategic reasons.

Clare Bridge was built around 1639–1640 by the architect Thomas Grumbold, as part of the expansions of Clare College. It is a stone bridge with three arches and a balustrade with fourteen stone balls, connecting the Old Court of Clare College with the Fellows' Garden across the Cam.

During the English Civil War, Cromwell's parliamentary troops had several older stone bridges in Cambridge demolished. The salvaged stone was used to reinforce the fortifications of Cambridge Castle, causing a sharp decline in the number of permanent crossing points over the Cam in the city.

Clare Bridge was the newest bridge over the Cam at the time and was the only one spared, making it the only pre-Civil War bridge still standing. As a result, this bridge temporarily enjoyed a near-monopoly as a sturdy, central crossing: militarily, it was useful to limit the number of bridges to control movements across the river, while still requiring a single reliable connection between both banks.

Today, Clare Bridge is the oldest surviving bridge on the Cam and one of the most photographed spots along “The Backs”. It is a Grade I listed structure, which means it is protected as a particularly important historic and architectural monument.

Pascal Brackman