Peterhouse, the Buildings Surrounding First Court, Old Court and Gisborne Court

PETERHOUSE, THE BUILDINGS SURROUNDING FIRST COURT, OLD COURT AND GISBORNE COURT

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Overview

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
I
List Entry Number:
1087054
Date first listed:
26-Apr-1950
List Entry Name:
Peterhouse, the Buildings Surrounding First Court, Old Court and Gisborne Court
Statutory Address:
PETERHOUSE, THE BUILDINGS SURROUNDING FIRST COURT, OLD COURT AND GISBORNE COURT
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Date:
2006-04-02
Reference:
IOE01/15484/14
Rights:
© Mr A. Gude. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
I
List Entry Number:
1087054
Date first listed:
26-Apr-1950
List Entry Name:
Peterhouse, the Buildings Surrounding First Court, Old Court and Gisborne Court
Statutory Address 1:
PETERHOUSE, THE BUILDINGS SURROUNDING FIRST COURT, OLD COURT AND GISBORNE COURT

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:
PETERHOUSE, THE BUILDINGS SURROUNDING FIRST COURT, OLD COURT AND GISBORNE COURT

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:
Cambridgeshire
District:
Cambridge (District Authority)
Parish:
Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:
TL 44833 57943

Details

PETERHOUSE 1. 942 The Buildings surrounding First Court, Old Court and Gisborne Court TL 4458 SE 6/278 TL 4458 NE 9/278 26.4.50 I 2. First Court The Chapel 1628-32, George Thompson, Mason; faced with ashlar in 1665. The detailing is part Gothic, part Jocobean and part Classical; the motifs of the last may be of the C18. The interior is lined with C18 bolection moulded panelling. The roof was repaired in 1735, the interior restored in 1821-2. The fittings include an oak door dated 1632, stalls of the same date, C18 communion rails. The East window has C17 Flemish glass. The organ is 1765 by Johann Schnetzler. Early C18 marble paving. Arcades. Arcaded walls flanking the Chapel, the Northern one of 1709, the Southern of 1711, the arcading is of round-headed arches with keystones with attached Roman Doric columns. The upper storey is ashlar faced and contains galleries. North Range or Burrough's Building. 1738-42, by James Burrough. 3 storeys and cellars. Brick with Ketton stone facing 7 bays, central doorway with 3 sash windows with glazing bars on either side. Venetian window on street front, the interior contains many original fittings, the staircase, doorways, fireplaces and much moulded panelling. South Range. This is a continuation of the South range of Old Court (qv). Old Court South Range - the Hall. Built circa 1290, the oldest portion of the existing buildings with the Buttery. 5 bays. Windows altered mid C15. North wall refaced 1755. The whole building completely restored by Gilbert Scott in 1879. The interior has one original doorway. The fireplace is of 1501. The roof and bay windows are by Scott. The decoration of the interior is an important example of the work of William Morris, particularly the tiling round the fireplace and the glass in the bay window. The Kitchen and Buttery. Both have C15 features including doorways, windows and a staircase. The East end of the South Range is of 1460, circa 1590 and 1633, the north front was faced with ashlar in 1870 except for the 1633 part which is red brick. The interior contains 3 main rooms. Combination Room 1460. Refitted 1868-70 by William Morris altered in 1946. Glass by Ford Madox Brown and E Burne-Jones. Perne Library. Circa 1590 and 1633. Late C16 staircase. Modern ceiling. Contemporary stone fireplaces. Much C17 and C18 woodwork including the fine main bookcase 1641-8 by William Ashley. West Range. C15, refaced in ashlar on the East in 1754 and on the West in Gothic style in 1826 as part of Gisborne Court, 2 storeys and attic. C15, C16 and C18 windows, the interior has features from all centuries; the old Library has panelling of circa 1590. North Range. C15, refaced in ashlar in C18, south front only, the North front is of marble and red brick. The external features are of the C15 and C18 centuries. The interior has C16, C17 and C18 panelling with other features from each century. Gisborne Court 1825-6. North and South ranges, the West range of Old Court faced to match; the west side open. By W Mc I Brooks in the Tudor-Gothic style. The East Range has several sham features to preserve the symmetry. The interior of the North and South ranges have contemporary features of plain design. (RCHM).

Listing NGR: TL4483357943

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:
47214
Legacy System:
LBS

Sources

Other
Inventory of the Historical Monuments in the City of Cambridge, (1959)

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.

Ordnance survey map of Peterhouse, the Buildings Surrounding First Court, Old Court and Gisborne Court

Map

This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 07-Jun-2026 at 16:42:38.

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End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.

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