Cambridge, university city and county town (of Cambridgeshire), lies on the River Cam. Life in the city is dominated by the 31 colleges, most being rich in tradition and each having a special quality of its own. There are also a number of medieval churches and several excellent museums in Cambridge. The
lovely college grounds, gardens and parks along the riverside make up the beautiful Backs.
In Roman times there was a small town here on the north bank of the Cam. In those days the river was known (and upstream of Silver Street bridge is still known today) as the Granta. To the Saxons consequently the town was Grantebrycg, which later (ca. 1125) became Cantebruge. Later still, in Chaucer, it appears as Chambrugge. Even before 1318 when the university was founded, Cambridge was famous for its annual wool fair. Its position on the principal trade route between eastern and central England brought early prosperity to the town (in the 17th century the Stourbridge Fair was the largest in the country). The first "schools", attached initially to monasteries, were probably established in the 12th century by immigrant scholars from Paris. The first college, Peterhouse, was founded in 1284. Despite its romantic medieval character Cambridge is a thoroughly modern town with all the usual amenities.
Cambridge hosts a number of events throughout the year including the Midsummer Fair, Cambridge Folk Festival and a film festival.
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