Why Can't..

Jonny Fezro

4

Why can't you walk on the grass at some Cambridge colleges? Its silly :mad:

i mean, students live in these colleges!! It's like telling me i can't walk on my own front lawn lmao :frown:

Reply 1

vector

15

It's just part of the 'Cambridge thing' isn't it. Does anyone know which colleges in particular?

Reply 2

Jonny Fezro

OP

4

I guess yeah, its just 'tradition' lol! I think King's College, Trinity, and probs a few others..colleges that don't have this rule that i know of are Magdalene, Emmanuel :smile:

Reply 3

coldfish

12

It's not tradition, it's to keep the lawn in good condition. It's basically all of the old colleges. John's, Trinity, Corpus, King's, Queens', Emma, Christ's, Magdalene, Selwyn, Clare, Trinity Hall, etc etc.

Most colleges have some lawn space for you to walk about on/sit and eat your lunch. In the case of Queens', it's the lawn that backs directly onto the Cam, which is very pleasant in the Summer time.

Reply 4

Willa

11

The rule of thumb is usually that if it's in a court, you cant walk on it! (although fellows of the college are I think - at least at my college they can). But yes there are exceptions, and some colleges seem to have more grass you can walk on than others....Emma being a key example! But colleges like trinity and kings have fellows gardens which you can use I believe, it's just not right in the middle of college grounds that's all

Reply 5

epitome

11

As for which colleges it applies to, it's the rule rather than exception that you shouldn't walk on the grass. Most colleges have somewhere where you can sit, but NOT in the middle of the courts!

Some colleges aren't fussy - Newnham is one of them (except in the depths of winter, when trampling the grass would just turn our lovely lawns to mud. If you have any gardening knowledge, this is common sense. Or, a more 'hip & happening' way of putting it: your shoes will get soaked and muddy...*grins*).

Reply 6

Char Star

9

I've heard that if you do, the ghost of Isaac Newton will come get you and drop apples on your head. And if you throw them back, you get a scholarship.

Reply 7

*Joanna*

12

We're not allowed on the front courts (which are admittedly tiny), or the Master's Garden, which is effectively their front lawn. We can sit/sunbathe/play croquet/whatever on the rest, so I don't see the problem. Fellows are allowed where they want I think.

Reply 8

FadeToBlackout

15

Tradition, keeping them looking neat, sheer bloody-mindedness of College... it varies.

In Clare, there's four little lawns in Old Court which are out of bounds to everyone (including Fellows) apart from gardeners. Tourists normally last about 20 seconds on the grass before asked "Come off the grass, PLEASE!" in increasingly firm tones by the porters. Other than that, the rest of the grass is free to walk on.

At Kings a few years ago, a couple of undergrads played a nice trick. In summer, in front of a load of tourists, one student (whilst dressed as a tourist) walked on the grass in front of the gate. Another student, dressed asa porter, came runnign out with a fake gun and "shot" the "tourist". Apparently it traumatised a large number of watching people!*

* - NB. I think this is true- at least the bare bones of it. All kind of embellishments circulate around.

Reply 9

epitome

11

* - NB. I think this is true- at least the bare bones of it. All kind of embellishments circulate around.

*Apparently* they were sent down for it (or at least Deaned)...dunno how true that is. I like to believe they played the trick & lived happily ever after.

Reply 10

Niccolo

6

If you stand on the grass at Newnham or New Hall when you're not supposed to, you develop wellingtons that are impossible to remove, a Fernando Torres-style haircut, big muscles, overalls that seem grafted onto your body and within 2-3 minutes, you will have become a gigantic lesbian. This happens regardless of the felon's gender.

Just a friendly warning to any potential rule-breakers.

Reply 11

epitome

11

If you stand on the grass at Newnham or New Hall when you're not supposed to, you develop wellingtons that are impossible to remove, a Fernando Torres-style haircut, big muscles, overalls that seem grafted onto your body and within 2-3 minutes, you will have become a gigantic lesbian. This happens regardless of the felon's gender.

This is actually true. Be warned - between the Xmas and Easter vacations, Don Not Walk On The Grass, anywhere!

On the plus side, you do get a free pet cat and an "I Hate Men" bumper sticker. It's not all bad.

Reply 12

Jonny Fezro

OP

4

What would happen if I decided i might want to organise a 25-a-side football match, then camp out on one of these lawns? Are there any colleges that would see the funny side to such hijinks? xxx :tsr2:

Reply 13

Jigglypuff

16

Jonny Fezro

Why can't you walk on the grass at some Cambridge colleges? Its silly :mad:

i mean, students live in these colleges!! It's like telling me i can't walk on my own front lawn lmao :frown:

It's just to keep them in good condition- your front lawn would look pretty awful if you had that many students living in your house.

King's has two big areas of grass students can go on though, and one you can even play games on. It's only the two main lawns that are off limits, but we do get to go on there for special occasions.

Reply 14

coldfish

12

Jonny Fezro

What would happen if I decided i might want to organise a 25-a-side football match, then camp out on one of these lawns? Are there any colleges that would see the funny side to such hijinks? xxx :tsr2:

Um, no.

Reply 15

Jonny Fezro

OP

4

coldfish

Um, no.

Then they could all do with a revamp in attitudes, bring them kicking and screaming into the 20th let alone the 21 st century lmao :mad:

Reply 16

coldfish

12

It's nothing to do with what century we are in. If a rule is being broken for the sake of breaking it then people generally aren't amused. I honestly can't believe you're being serious in suggesting that a college might be amused by people camping on their lawns.
Once again not walking on formal lawns is not an exclusively Cambridge thing, and nor is it the reserve of old-fashioned institutions. It is to preserve the lawn.

Reply 17

parsleythelion

1

Strangely though, when it snowed everyone (including the porters for several hours until they eventually threw us off) ignored this completely for the sake of snowball fights/snowman building, even though presumably skidding around in the snow was more likely to damage the lawn that in any other weather conditions...

Reply 18

Niccolo

6

coldfish

It's nothing to do with what century we are in. If a rule is being broken for the sake of breaking it then people generally aren't amused. I honestly can't believe you're being serious in suggesting that a college might be amused by people camping on their lawns.
Once again not walking on formal lawns is not an exclusively Cambridge thing, and nor is it the reserve of old-fashioned institutions. It is to preserve the lawn.