please empty your brain below
Grantchester Meadows was a favourite escape for the teenage Syd Barrett, Roger Waters and David Gilmour, especially Syd. Its influence can be felt in Pink Floyds late 60s acoustic numbers such as 'Cirrus Minor' and of course, 'Grantchester Meadows', the more whimsical moments on 'Piper', as well as on Syd's solo records. If you're not familiar, I invite you to investigate!

dg writes: Click the link above the first photo.

Burntweenie | 25.02.19 - 7:22 a.m. | #

The new Papworth hospital should have opened last year, but was delayed because they had to replace the exterior cladding after a post-Grenfell investigation found that the contractors had used flammable materials: www.architectsjournal.co.uk/10032741

Claire | 25.02.19 - 7:27 a.m. | #

The last time I did that walk, 20 years ago, I passed a man riding a unicycle. Very Cambridge, it is.

Jimmy | 25.02.19 - 7:41 a.m. | #

Dame Mary Archer Way?!

Addenbrookes is recognisable from the place I passed (and occasionally visited) for 18 years.

Kirk | 25.02.19 - 7:47 a.m. | #

I think, though may be it is apocryphal, that the ‘ten to three’ reference in the poem alludes to the church clock being broken at the time Brooke wrote, and so always being stuck at ten to three, which was and is certainly too early for the taking of afternoon tea.

David | 25.02.19 - 8:03 a.m. | #

The big problem with the Biomedical Campus is that they're throwing up new buildings left right and center, but have done absolutely nothing about transport to allow staff, patients or visitors to get to the site.

Once the new Papworth & AZ buildings open, pray you don't need to get to Addenbrooke's hospital in a hurry - unless you can walk or cycle there.

A Cambridge Resident. | 25.02.19 - 8:11 a.m. | #

An eye on the past and heritage - but still getting on with things, rather than wanting to live in a world where 'nothing has changed'.

Still Anon | 25.02.19 - 8:23 a.m. | #

Still Anon - You clearly have never dealt with Cambridge University.

A Cambridge Resident | 25.02.19 - 8:47 a.m. | #

Thanks DG, I didn't know the Pink Floyd song referred to a real place. I've lost my Ummagumma cassette (a bootleg bought from a market in Rome with every title spelt wrongly), but didn't the wildlife get shot at the end ?

kev | 25.02.19 - 9:08 a.m. | #

"A river of green is sliding unseen beneath the trees..."

(Cirrus minor)

Beautiful music. Early Pink Floyd were masters of it.

Joho | 25.02.19 - 9:36 a.m. | #

Dame Mary Archer was chairman of the board of Governers of the hospital for a time. The easiest way to get to the hospital is to park at Trumpigton park and ride then use the busway bus. There is also a combined 5 minute frequency on bus routes from the city centre to the hospital. From two serious “life or death” illnesses treated there I can vouch for it as a marvellous hospital.

Barry arnold | 25.02.19 - 9:50 a.m. | #

Punting all the way to Grantchester is a lovely way to spend a sunny afternoon - but make sure you are or know a College member and use their fleet of punts - otherwise, at commercial punt hire rates, you could hire a Rolls and go there and back cheaper!

Your video of the Floyd has the evocative footage, DG, but this one is much better, just because it has Gilmour (who can sing) doing most of the vocals, as opposed to Waters (who can't; not that that ever stopped him!)

David | 25.02.19 - 10:06 a.m. | #

I wouldn't recognise most famous people if they purposely stood and grinned right in front of me!

A talent I seem to have inherited from my father who famously once drove right past my mother heading home with the shopping, and it was only afterwards, when she berated him for not stopping, that he admitted he thought she looked familiar!!

Cornish Cockney | 25.02.19 - 10:32 a.m. | #

I am more than surprised that you managed to pass all the new flats development at the end of Mary Archer Way without commenting on how goddamn awful they are.

dg writes: I did not pass the new flats at the end of Mary Archer Way.

And I agree with the comments of 'a Cambridge Resident' about the road traffic layout at the hospital. As one who goes there every week (taking other people) it is a nightmare to get around. The new campus has been described as a battleground for the egos of all the architects. Each wants to be more strident than the others.

Temp | 25.02.19 - 10:49 a.m. | #

Glad to see you visiting my local area! I frequently walk, cycle and run to and through Grantchester, but have never seen His Lordship in person.

I was surprised to see you (and Wikipedia) say that Addenbrooke's "moved to this greenfield site in 1976", as it was already present on the "new" site when I was an undergraduate in 1972-1975. I think 1976 was the year that "Old Addenbrooke's" (now the Judge Business School) site stopped being used as a hospital.

Andrew | 25.02.19 - 11:17 a.m. | #

Yes, (other) Andrew, Wikipedia gets that completely wrong.

From what I can see in CUP's "History of Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge" (1991), the need for a new hospital site was being discussed when the NHS was created in the 1940s. Stage One of the "new" hospital opened to patients in 1961, and was officially opened by the Queen in 1962. The much bigger Stage Two was completed in 1972.

Andrew | 25.02.19 - 1:40 p.m. | #

Wikipedia has now been appraised of a more accurate version of the hospital site move.

Malcolm | 25.02.19 - 4:16 p.m. | #

I saw Jeffrey Archer in person once. He was in the dock at the Old Bailey at the time.

Regards

zin92 | 25.02.19 - 4:35 p.m. | #

I've met Archer as well. I assumed I would not like him but found him most charming and very pleasant company. I hope he thought likewise!

I wonder that if by meeting a top 10 author DG's Mystery Count has clicked up by one....

Chris | 25.02.19 - 4:45 p.m. | #

I once went to a charity drinks party in his Thames-side penthouse, but he was not present.

David | 25.02.19 - 4:46 p.m. | #

don't think I've encountered Archer, but I did once almost run down a jogging Rory McGrath whilst cycling across the meadows.

Al__S | 25.02.19 - 8:39 p.m. | #

One night years ago I was on my bike waiting to turn right from Chicheley St (near the London Eye) into York Road. A car pulled on my inside, with Jeffrey Archer driving. The lights changed before there was an opportunity to exchange greetings.

I like the way many local war memorials take a personal approach to remembering their lost ones, which is to say, so much more than I like the CWGC format of labelling graves. To his family and friends, Joseph Blogg would've been known by his name, not as Pte. 134653, Blogg J. Yes, I'm well aware that engraving a military headstone is probably costed on a 'per letter' basis much the same as any other, but - after all that they'd given - what would it have taken to have given them back their names?
R.I.P. Joe Blogg

RogerW | 26.02.19 - 6:19 p.m. | #

Had you continued past Trumpington you could have visited Roman Hill. It's not Roman and doesn't have a hill in it.

Nigel | 01.03.19 - 11:28 a.m. | #

And how was the Self-confessed liar and purveyor of funds to prostitutes?

E J Gumby | 09.03.19 - 8:14 p.m. | #











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