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The colleges of Cambridge University have a long and convoluted history. Here we try to make sense of it all.

1284 Peterhouse Founded by Hugo De Balsham, Bishop of Ely

1326 Clare Founded by Lady Elizabeth de Clare (Lady de Burgh), a granddaughter of King Edward I

1347 Pembroke Founded by Mary de St Pol, daughter of Guy de Chatillon and wife of Aymer de Valence, Earl of Pembroke

1348 Gonville & Caius Founded by Edmund Gonville, Rector of Terrington. Refounded in 1557 by Dr John Caius

1350 Trinity Hall Founded by Bishop Bateman of Norwich

1352 Corpus Christi Founded by The Guild of Corpus Christi and the Guild of the Blessed Virgin Mary

1428 Magdalene Founded by Abbot Lytlington of Crowland Abbey near Peterborough

1437 Christ's Founded by William Byngham, a London parish priest. Refounded in 1505 by Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother of King Henry VII

1441 King's Founded by King Henry VI

1448 Queens' Founded by Margaret of Anjou (daughter of René of Anjou), wife of King Henry VI. Again in 1465 by Elizabeth Woodville, wife of King Edward IV

1473 St Catherine's Founded by Robert Wodelarke, Provost of King's College

1496 Jesus Founded by John Alcock, bishop of Ely

1511 St John's Founded by Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother of King Henry VII

1546 Trinity Founded by Henry VIII

1584 Emmanuel Founded by Sir Walter Mildmay

1596 Sidney Sussex Founded by Lady Frances Sidney, Countess of Sussex

1695 Homerton Founded as a dissenting academy in London. Moved to Cambridge in 1894

1800 Downing Founded by Sir George Downing, third baronet

1869 Girton Founded by Miss Emily Davies

1871 Newnham Founded by Henry Sidgwick

1882 Selwyn Founded by George Augustus Selwyn, the first Bishop of New Zealand, and Bishop of Lichfield

1885 Hughes Hall Founded by Miss Elizabeth Phillips Hughes

1896 St Edmund's Founded by 15th Duke of Norfolk and Baron Anatole von Hügel

1954 New Hall Founded by President Dame Rosemary Murray

1958 Churchill Founded by Sir Winston Spencer Churchill

1964 Darwin Founded by Sir Charles Darwin, son of Sir George, grandson of the famous biologist

1965 Lucy Cavendish Founded by Miss Lucy Cavendish

1965 Wolfson Founded by University of Cambridge, funded by the Wolfson Foundation

1966 Fitzwilliam Founded by University of Cambridge from late 19th Century, passed Royal Charter in 1966

1966 Clare Hall Founded by Clare College. Made independent in 1984 by Queen Elizabeth II

1977 Robinson Founded by Sir David Robinson