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Our facilities include a gym, dining hall, bar, café, library, a music pavilion, informal social spaces and beautiful gardens. 

Explore in 360°

Gym

Rowing Machine in Gym

The College gym can be found on the ground floor in Oldham Hall and access is available from 8am until 10pm with a University ID card. Before using the gym, all users must complete a health questionnaire and undertake a health and safety session with a trained instructor.

Use of the gym is restricted to students, staff and Fellows of the College only. It contains a treadmill, exercise bike, rowing machines, a cross trainer, weights and further multi-gym equipment.

Dining hall and Nautilus café

Dining hall

We have a modern, light, and airy dining hall and a great café where breakfast and snacks are available on weekdays.

The kitchen is normally open every weekday lunchtime throughout the year, with the exception of short breaks at Christmas and Easter. During term we are open for breakfast, Saturday brunch and Sunday lunch.

We serve informal evening suppers Monday to Friday throughout term time. Breakfast, lunch and informal suppers are cafeteria style.

Students in cafe bar

We also have an amazing café/bar in the new build, serving hot drinks, food and snacks, and in the evening, both alcoholic and soft drink. It is open at set times during term time. The College is governed by the Licensing Act 2003 – Premises Licence. The Domestic Bursar is the designated Premises Supervisor and has responsibility for the Licence. The Bar Steward assists in running the bar. All students working behind the bar, including the Bar Steward, must be trained before they do so, and must sign a form agreeing to adhere to the College bar rules and regulations.

Find more info here

Conservatory

Students in Conservatory

Students can use the Conservatory at any time.

There is a drinks and snacks machine available in the conservatory accessible 24 hours a day which can provide that invaluable ‘pick me up’ during essay writing, etc). The Students’ Union run regular bops in the conservatory. The bar/conservatory area also houses the Nautilus Café.

Student common room

Common Room

The Paul Paget Room in Oldham Hall is a common room where students can meet, get information about events, sporting fixtures etc. and relax.  A kettle is provided to make tea and coffee, as are a microwave, copies of daily and student newspapers, a television, dvd player and video. The noticeboard outside the Paul Paget Room is used by the Senior Tutor and Tutorial Staff to post notices about job opportunities, scholarships, University talks, etc – keep your eyes on this.

Library

Library Foyer

Our Library is a favourite spot for students to read, think, work and relax

Find more info here

Porters' Lodge

Porters' Lodge

The Porters' Lodge (or 'Plodge') is the front door and hub of Lucy Cavendish College, Porters are on duty to answer any queries you may have about the College, as well as handling security/maintenance issues. Please also visit the Porters' Lodge if have any queries about cycle/car parking in the College grounds. The Porters sort the mail on its arrival in College and usually leave all students' mail in their named pigeonholes just outside the Porters' Lodge. The only exception to this are either mail that has to be signed for or parcels which are too large to fit in the pigeonholes in which cases the Porters will leave a note in the relevant pigeonhole and the items can then be collected from the Lodge.

The Porters' Lodge is the place to:

  • Sign the Exeat Book (undergraduate students)

  • Collect room keys and University ID card / temporary College swipe cards

  • Collect letters and parcels from student pigeonholes

  • Obtain laundry cards for washers/dryers

  • Pay bills (but we prefer you to pay online via your Formal Hall account)

  • Report accidents that occur on College premises to comply with the Health and Safety at Work Act

  • Redirect post

  • Buy Lucy Cavendish College memorabilia (e.g. t-shirts, mugs etc.)

College Access Information

Porters are on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The Porter's Lodge is dedicated to the wellbeing and safety of all its members, University members, guests and visitors. Anyone requiring emergency or urgent assistance can contact the Porter's Lodge at any time.

In the event of an emergency, the College provides a safe and secure environment for all students, staff, and visitors. Designated areas of safety and support are available, with clear procedures in place to handle various emergencies, including medical, fire, and personal safety concerns.

The College is equipped with emergency alarms and communication systems to ensure a swift response to any situation. Trained personnel are always on hand to provide assistance and guidance.

Tel: +44 (0)1223 332190

Email: theporterslodge@lucy.cam.ac.uk

Please note: If there is a real emergency and you cannot immediately get help within the College please contact the University Security Control Centre. Their 24-hour emergency contact numbers are 331818, or 101 on the University telephone network. When you call please explain where you are calling from and the nature of your problem.

Music Pavilion

Music and Meditation Pavilion

Our Music and Meditation Pavilion is on Strathaird lawn and can be accessed at all times by using your University ID card. Our Pavilion can be used to play music or as a quiet place for meditation, yoga and houses a piano and a good range of books relating to all the major religions of the world.

History of the Pavilion

Our Pavilion was built following a generous donation to the College from Irene Sharaff (1910 - 1993) and her companion Mai Mai Sze (1909 - 1992). Mai Mai Sze was an actress, model, novelist and translator of C17 Chinese texts (which are now housed in the college library); Irene Sharaff was a famous costume designer for Hollywood musicals, who won five Oscars for her work which included Meet Me in St Louis (1944), The King and I (1952), and West Side Story (1960).

The two ladies first heard about Lucy Cavendish College from an article, which appeared in the New York Times in October 1985 (read the original article). Following this, they met with Dame Anne Warburton, the College President at the time, and donated £1 million to Lucy Cavendish College.

As well as funding the Music and Meditation Pavilion, their generous donation also endowed two prestigious research fellowships - the Alice Tong Sze Research Fellowship (named after Mai Mai Sze's mother) and the Lu Gwei Djen Research Fellowship.

Sadly neither Mai Mai Sze nor Irene Sharaff were ever able to visit Lucy Cavendish College before their deaths in 1992 and 1993 (they died just a few months apart), but they still asked that their ashes be buried in the gardens of the college. Today, their ashes rest under two halves of the same memorial rock beside the entrance to the Pavilion, surrounded by the music and beauty they so enjoyed.

Students playing music in pavilllion

Gardens

Grounds

Lucy Cavendish College is set in its own private grounds just off the Lady Margaret Road; the College prides itself on creating a beautiful and peaceful haven that provides the perfect setting for students to walk, talk and think. Landscaped by the Head Gardener Vince Lucas, and Garden Steward Dr Jane Renfrew, the grounds offer the perfect respite from hectic University life.

A recent addition in 2010 was the George Perry Memorial Garden at the front of College, generously financed by the fifth President of the College, Baroness Perry, in memory of her husband and his support of her work whilst she was President of the College (1994 - 2001). The memorial garden provides continued interest to the College community, through its careful planting, and has given members of the College and visitors a new space for informal gatherings.

Organising an event or meeting

As a College member, if you wish to organise an event or meeting at College you will need to complete a form to request approval from the College Dean. You will need to ensure that you have booked a room for your meeting by emailing Operations and Estates Department

A Place to live and study

Lucy Cavendish College will be your home while you’re studying at Cambridge