Historically, much of the land was used by the colleges for grazinglivestock or growing fruit. Cattle can still be found grazing behind King's College. The river was also an important commercial thoroughfare to the mill at Silver Street.
History
One of the earliest drawings of The Backs, contained in a plan of Cambridge engraved by Richard Lyne in 1574.
A Plan Presented to the University of Cambridge for Some Alterations — by Lancelot Brown, 1779.
In the 16th century, the area consisted of pasture, gardens and orchards owned by colleges of the University, with wooden bridges across the Cam. Over time, the colleges planted avenues of trees and built sturdier bridges. In 1772, St John's College consulted English landscape architectLancelot ("Capability") Brown (1716–1783), who laid out a "wilderness" on the college side of Queen's Road which still exists today.[4]
In 1779, Brown presented a plan to the University of Cambridge to create country-house style parkland with its focus on King's College's Gibbs Building. The plan would have involved removing avenues, transforming the river into a lake, and planting clumps of trees to screen the other colleges. It was never implemented, possibly because it would have removed historic college boundaries and three important bridges.[4]
In response to many elm trees succumbing to Dutch elm disease, a Backs Committee was formed in 1979 so that a joint approach could be taken to the problem facing The Backs. As a result of the committee's work, trees were cut down and new ones planted in their place. However, the committee stopped meeting in 1994.[4]
In the 2000s, six University colleges on The Backs commissioned Robert Myers, a landscape architect who had studied at Girton College, to prepare a new landscape management plan for the area. The report, entitled The Backs Cambridge Landscape Strategy,[6] was completed in November 2007[5] and released on 1 December 2007. It sets out proposals for the evolution of The Backs over the next 50 years. Myers' proposal is to improve the "legibility, coherence and visual quality of the landscape as a whole"[7] by retaining and enhancing the existing structure of the landscape and sight lines, while screening off the traffic on Queens Road. Over-mature and inappropriately-sited trees will be removed and new ones planted. In addition, there will be a phased replacement of avenues, an extension of the "wilderness" planting behind St John's and along the edge of Queens Road, and the creation of a "wildlife corridor". In particular, as regards Queens' Green at the southern end of The Backs, which is owned by Cambridge City Council, there is a proposal to extend an existing avenue of beech trees to the Queens Road to create an additional "rung" to the "ladder effect" created by other tree avenues, and to plant more trees and wilderness to partly enclose a stretch of grass.[4]
The colleges are currently in consultation with the City Council and English Heritage regarding the report,[5] and if it is approved will carry out the suggested work in their own time using their own funds.[4] In December 2007, The Daily Telegraph reported that "there has been a remarkable degree of consensus between institutions [i.e., the colleges of the University owning parts of The Backs] well known for prizing their autonomy".[4]
^ abcdefBuchan, Ursula (30 November 2007). "Landscape plan for the Cambridge Backs [print version: Way forward for the Cambridge Backs]". The Daily Telegraph (Gardening). p. G3. Archived from the original on 8 February 2008.
^(PDF). Robert Myers Associates. November 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 December 2007. Retrieved 21 December 2007.
^The Backs Cambridge Landscape Strategy, above, para 5.8 on page 19.
References
Stubbings, Frank H. (Henry) (comp.) (1995). Bedders, Bulldogs and Bedells: A Cambridge Glossary (Rev. and enl. ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN0-521-47978-9.
Further reading
Articles
Whiffen, Marcus (1947). "Academical Elysium — The Landscaping of the Cambridge Backs". [?Cambridge]: [s.n.] {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help).
. Queens' College, Cambridge. 2000. Archived from the original on 28 January 2008. Retrieved 21 December 2007.
Books and papers
Workman, J (1976). The Backs (An Outline for the Formation of a Joint Policy for the Conservation of the Trees and Landscape...). [?Cambridge]: [s.n.]
Walters, S.M. (1979). The Future of the Backs: A Memorandum Summarising the Results to Date of Discussion and Action Initiated by King's College Garden Committee in 1974, with Recommendations for Future Coordinated Action. [?Cambridge]: [s.n.]
Some of the references in this section were obtained from (PDF). Robert Myers Associates. November 2007: 28. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 December 2007. Retrieved 21 December 2007. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help).
backs, picturesque, area, east, queen, road, city, cambridge, england, where, several, colleges, university, cambridge, back, river, their, grounds, covering, both, banks, river, part, backs, showing, clare, college, clare, bridge, back, lawns, king, national,. The Backs is a picturesque area to the east of Queen s Road in the city of Cambridge England where several colleges of the University of Cambridge back on to the River Cam their grounds covering both banks of the river Part of the Backs showing Clare College Clare bridge and the back lawns of King s National Trust chairman Simon Jenkins has rated the view of The Backs and King s College as one of the top ten in England 1 Contents 1 The name 2 History 3 Present day and future development 4 Gallery 5 See also 6 Notes 7 References 8 Further reading 8 1 Articles 8 2 Books and papers 9 External linksThe name Edit The Backs appear as the horizontal green band in the middle left of this aerial photograph of Cambridge city centre The name the Backs refers to the backs of the colleges The area consists of the rear grounds of the following colleges north to south St John s buildings on both sides of the river spanned by the St John s kitchen bridge and the Bridge of Sighs Trinity buildings on the east bank spanned by Trinity bridge Trinity Hall buildings on the east bank but with no rear grounds on the west bank Clare buildings on the east bank spanned by Clare bridge King s buildings on the east bank spanned by King s bridge Queens buildings on both sides of the river spanned by the Mathematical Bridge Also sometimes included are the following colleges 2 Magdalene grounds on the west bank just south of the Magdalene Street Bridge Darwin just beyond Silver Street at the southern end of The Backs Historically much of the land was used by the colleges for grazing livestock or growing fruit Cattle can still be found grazing behind King s College The river was also an important commercial thoroughfare to the mill at Silver Street History Edit One of the earliest drawings of The Backs contained in a plan of Cambridge engraved by Richard Lyne in 1574 A Plan Presented to the University of Cambridge for Some Alterations by Lancelot Brown 1779 St John s College s New Court left was the first major college building built on the west side of the River Cam 3 In the 16th century the area consisted of pasture gardens and orchards owned by colleges of the University with wooden bridges across the Cam Over time the colleges planted avenues of trees and built sturdier bridges In 1772 St John s College consulted English landscape architect Lancelot Capability Brown 1716 1783 who laid out a wilderness on the college side of Queen s Road which still exists today 4 In 1779 Brown presented a plan to the University of Cambridge to create country house style parkland with its focus on King s College s Gibbs Building The plan would have involved removing avenues transforming the river into a lake and planting clumps of trees to screen the other colleges It was never implemented possibly because it would have removed historic college boundaries and three important bridges 4 In response to many elm trees succumbing to Dutch elm disease a Backs Committee was formed in 1979 so that a joint approach could be taken to the problem facing The Backs As a result of the committee s work trees were cut down and new ones planted in their place However the committee stopped meeting in 1994 4 In 1995 English Heritage listed The Backs as a Grade 1 Historic Park 5 1743 engraving of The Backs and Cambridge skylinePresent day and future development EditIn the 2000s six University colleges on The Backs commissioned Robert Myers a landscape architect who had studied at Girton College to prepare a new landscape management plan for the area The report entitled The Backs Cambridge Landscape Strategy 6 was completed in November 2007 5 and released on 1 December 2007 It sets out proposals for the evolution of The Backs over the next 50 years Myers proposal is to improve the legibility coherence and visual quality of the landscape as a whole 7 by retaining and enhancing the existing structure of the landscape and sight lines while screening off the traffic on Queens Road Over mature and inappropriately sited trees will be removed and new ones planted In addition there will be a phased replacement of avenues an extension of the wilderness planting behind St John s and along the edge of Queens Road and the creation of a wildlife corridor In particular as regards Queens Green at the southern end of The Backs which is owned by Cambridge City Council there is a proposal to extend an existing avenue of beech trees to the Queens Road to create an additional rung to the ladder effect created by other tree avenues and to plant more trees and wilderness to partly enclose a stretch of grass 4 The colleges are currently in consultation with the City Council and English Heritage regarding the report 5 and if it is approved will carry out the suggested work in their own time using their own funds 4 In December 2007 The Daily Telegraph reported that there has been a remarkable degree of consensus between institutions i e the colleges of the University owning parts of The Backs well known for prizing their autonomy 4 Gallery Edit King s College Chapel from The Backs Clare College and King s College Chapel from The Backs Detail of a 1798 map surveyed by William Custance and engraved by J Russell showing The Backs Spendlowe Lamborn s late 18th century engravings of the Old Bridge at King s College and Trinity College Bridge Clare Bridge A view of the River Cam near Trinity College Trinity Hall s Jerwood Library on the bank of the Cam Sunset over the River Cam King s College Chapel and the Gibbs Building King s College from the Backs Trinity College s avenue and gate to Queen s Road viewed from the Backs View of the northern end with the Wren Library and University Library from St John s College tower King s College Chapel viewed from the Backs See also EditList of bridges in Cambridge Punt boat Notes Edit Our glorious land in peril www telegraph co uk The Cambridge Backs puntcambridge co uk 9 October 2017 Retrieved 23 December 2020 New Court St John s College a b c d e f Buchan Ursula 30 November 2007 Landscape plan for the Cambridge Backs print version Way forward for the Cambridge Backs The Daily Telegraph Gardening p G3 Archived from the original on 8 February 2008 a b c The Backs landscape strategy Clare College University of Cambridge 20 December 2007 Archived from the original on 22 December 2007 Retrieved 21 December 2007 The Backs Cambridge landscape strategy PDF Robert Myers Associates November 2007 Archived from the original PDF on 23 December 2007 Retrieved 21 December 2007 The Backs Cambridge Landscape Strategy above para 5 8 on page 19 References EditStubbings Frank H Henry comp 1995 Bedders Bulldogs and Bedells A Cambridge Glossary Rev and enl ed Cambridge Cambridge University Press ISBN 0 521 47978 9 Further reading EditArticles Edit Whiffen Marcus 1947 Academical Elysium The Landscaping of the Cambridge Backs Cambridge s n a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help Queens College Record 2000 The Grove Elms Queens College Cambridge 2000 Archived from the original on 28 January 2008 Retrieved 21 December 2007 Books and papers Edit Workman J 1976 The Backs An Outline for the Formation of a Joint Policy for the Conservation of the Trees and Landscape Cambridge s n Walters S M 1979 The Future of the Backs A Memorandum Summarising the Results to Date of Discussion and Action Initiated by King s College Garden Committee in 1974 with Recommendations for Future Coordinated Action Cambridge s n Brown Jane 2002 Trinity College A Garden History Cambridge Trinity College Cambridge Some of the references in this section were obtained from The Backs Cambridge landscape strategy PDF Robert Myers Associates November 2007 28 Archived from the original PDF on 23 December 2007 Retrieved 21 December 2007 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help External links EditMap of the University of Cambridge 1 Coordinates 52 12 16 N 0 06 51 E 52 20437 N 0 11404 E 52 20437 0 11404 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Backs amp oldid 1125617500, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
