Cambridge
Cambridge is an old English University town and the regional centre of the county of Cambridgeshire.
It lies approximately 50 miles north of London and is surrounded by a number of smaller towns and villages. It is best known for the University of Cambridge, including the world-renowned Cavendish Laboratories and the choir of Kings College.
History
Settlements have existed around the area since pre-Roman times. However, the first major development of the area began in Roman times; Roman roads and walled enclosures can still be seen in the area.
During Anglo-Saxon times it benefitted from good trade links across the otherwise hard to travel fen-lands.
Cambridge was known in Norman times as Grentabrige or Cantebrigge, while the river that flowed through it was called the Granta. Over time the name of the town changed to Cambridge, while the river Cam was still known as the Granta - indeed the river is still often known as the Granta to this day. It was only later that the river became known as the Cam, by analogy with the name Cambridge.
Around about the 13th Century the University was formed. The first college, Peterhouse, was founded in 1284.
Big gap :-)
Despite having a University Cambridge was not granted its City charter until 1951.
Cambridge Today
Drawing on its links with the University, Cambridge today is at the heart of Silicon Fen, the growth of high tech businesses and technology incubators that have sprung up in the series of science parks and other developments in and around the city.