225 years since the foundation of Downing College

Downing College was founded by Royal Charter, granted by King George III, on 22 September 1800 as a “perpetual College for students in Law, physic and other useful arts and learning”. The foundation of the College was as a result of the 1717 will of Sir George Downing, 3rd Baronet and followed thirty-six years of costly litigation after the death of his last surviving heir, Sir Jacob Garrard Downing, 4th Baronet, in 1764.

The Charter formalised the creation of the first Cambridge College in more than 200 years. It confirmed Francis Annesley (a direct descendant of Sir George Downing, 1st Baronet) as the first Master of Downing College and a Governing Body including just five others: Sir Busick Harwood, Downing Professor of Medicine; Edward Christian, Downing Professor of the Laws of England; John Lens, William Meek and William Frere as Fellows.

The original Charter (consisting of five highly decorative stitched vellum pages measuring 70x54cm, complete with wax seal) is preserved with its embossed leather box in the Archive, together with the University’s formal assent to the founding of Downing College, dated 27th April 1786 [DCGB/C/1/1].

The first Master

Francis Annesley was the son of Mary Annesley, a great-granddaughter of Sir George Downing, 1st Baronet (grandfather of the College’s Founder). She was one of the six female heirs at law (closest blood relatives) who supported the ‘Downing Cause’ to establish Downing College under the terms of Sir George Downing, 3rd Baronet’s will. Francis, a member of Gray’s Inn and MP for Reading from 1774, was earmarked for the Mastership of the proposed College some twenty years before its eventual foundation. He was officially Master of Downing College from the date of the Charter until his death in April 1812, but spearheaded the battle to create it for much longer. As Master, Annesley oversaw the purchase of the present site of the College, the appointment of William Wilkins as its architect and the completion of the first buildings from the Master’s Lodge to the East Lodge (at that time the home of the Professor of Medicine).

From foundation to foundation stone

The possession of a Royal Charter unfortunately did not mean that building could begin immediately. A small – and wholly unsuitable – site near Jesus College called Doll’s Close had been purchased in 1798 to facilitate the granting of the Charter, but a much larger and more suitable site was needed. The purchase of Pembroke Leys – the eventual site chosen for Downing College – was agreed in 1801 but not completed until 1807, as this required an Act of Parliament enclosing the land before the individual plots could be acquired.

The acquisition of the Domus site, together with the appointment of William Wilkins as its architect the previous year after a competition lasting several years, meant that building work could finally begin almost seven years after the College Charter was granted.

A formal ceremony took place on 18 May 1807 with a special commemorative plate laid on the foundation stone in the Master’s Lodge. Sadly, its exact location has never been identified. The Latin inscription read:

Downing College in the University of Cambridge was ordained by the will of George Downing of Gamlingay, Baronet in the same county, who furnished her munificently with wealth in the year of salvation 1717. At length the College was established under royal charter by the best ruler George III in the year 1800. These foundations of the building were laid on 18 May 1807 by the Master, Professors and Fellows, appointed by royal command, that it might proceed successfully with a view to the cultivation of religion, and the knowledge of English law and medicine, and in promoting the right instruction of free-born youth.

It would be another ten years before the first student was admitted – and only two sides of Wilkins’ planned designs for Downing College would eventually be built - but the development of Downing College was finally underway.