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Which colleges in Cambridge have traditional formal halls?

elin89

sorry, what is "pennying"?

put a penny in someone's drink and they have to finish it, you'll pick up the subtleties soon enough (and I think it is only fair you learn by experience at matric. dinner)

Churchill and Kings have no gowns, probably all the others do (maybe Fitz/new hall don't?)

Reply 21

JHutcher

11

Jesus has a good formal hall 5 nights a week. gowns compulsory for members and non-members are encouraged to wear gowns (lots of non-jesus people do wear gowns). Dress code is smart/suit... most people wear a suit it just makes life easier.

Wasn't there a varsity article about formals in cambridge ranking them? might be worth having a look for that if your interested.

Justin

Reply 22

Firz

OP

^I'll do a bit of a search and see if I can find the varsity article you're talking about ^^

I was just asking out of curiosity, because some formal halls don't seem to require the wearing of gowns (which is part of the formal hall tradition itself?). Also, I thought it'd just add an interesting twist to meals every now and then. Haha.

Reply 23

Ditting Suck

8

The Varsity ranking was utter rubbish, though, just like the college bars ones. Colleges were marked down on things like 'atmosphere' (funnily enough it changes each night, thickoes). It was almost exactly wrong in its opinion of every College hall I've been to!

Reply 24

Phil.Murray

2

Can anyone find this article? I remember reading it a while ago, but can't seem to find it online.

Reply 25

thefish_uk

14

I think Clare Hall got the top because of the intellectual conversation they had at the table.

Wonder why, given that it's a grad college...

Reply 26

epitome

11

...and the Newnham one got slandered because the reviewer got so drunk he couldn't remember it! (Not joking).
It was a stupid piece of journalism, I think most are agreed...

Reply 27

randomlaughter

Varsity wouldn't know a good formal if it bit them on the arse.

(Quote: facebook group created by enraged Magdalene-formal supporters)

Reply 28

musicbloke

17

I'm confused. Is there a reason why no-one has mentioned Peterhouse? I'm pretty sure that students there are required to go to formal hall a number of times a week. Also, with Caius, you might as well go often (even though the food is ****) because of their ticketing system.

MB

Reply 29

DrCube

musicbloke

(even though the food is ****)

It's not that bad. Also formal isn't massively 'formal' (y'don't have to dress smart for instance) though I suppose it is fairly traditional in terms of grace/gongs and the like.

Reply 30

FadedJade

15

Pembroke is also very formal (candlelit, gowns, gongs etc) and goes on every day of the week, which is great. It came third in the Varsity thing, which is the only reason i dont discredit it immediately :biggrin:

Reply 31

Andy H

6

phil_m88

Can anyone find this article? I remember reading it a while ago, but can't seem to find it online.

Well I have found the whole paper with it in...

http://www.varsity.co.uk/archive/648.pdf

May take a while to load though :frown:

Reply 32

epitome

11

Just one warning: Take the article with a PINCH OF SALT. And then another bucketload. And I promise I'm not just saying that because my college came out badly from it!
Prospective applicants: This is a highly subjective survey!

Reply 33

Firz

OP

epitome

Just one warning: Take the article with a PINCH OF SALT. And then another bucketload. And I promise I'm not just saying that because my college came out badly from it!
Prospective applicants: This is a highly subjective survey!

Hm..I think a lot of these rankings/articles/studies are mostly inaccurate anyhow. But just in case, I don't mind lugging a bucketful of salt around if it'll help...=p

btw

you rock :hugs:

Reply 34

Jigglypuff

16

-x-Nina-x-

Pembroke is also very formal (candlelit, gowns, gongs etc) and goes on every day of the week, which is great. It came third in the Varsity thing, which is the only reason i dont discredit it immediately :biggrin:

I haven't been to many formals, but I would agree with Nina that Pembroke is the way forward. It was formal and unlike other colleges which put one on all the time actually had nice food.

Reply 35

Ditting Suck

8

Well, if we're just going to use this as an oppurtunity to shamelessly plug our own college, John's Hall is excellent. The cheapest in Cambridge (unless you aren't drinking wine, in which case Trinity is cheaper (it charges corkage)), candlelit, with formal grace and gowns. The food is *usually* nice (I go maybe twice a week and it is good 90% of the time).

Reply 36

Craghyrax

17

musicbloke

I'm confused. Is there a reason why no-one has mentioned Peterhouse? I'm pretty sure that students there are required to go to formal hall a number of times a week. MB

Uhoh

Reply 37

Captain Crash

9

musicbloke

I'm confused. Is there a reason why no-one has mentioned Peterhouse? I'm pretty sure that students there are required to go to formal hall a number of times a week.

Nah, we're just required to go to hall a certain amount of times each week be it formal or normal.

To the OP, pretty much every college has traditional formal halls with gowns and such (kings being the exception)