Cambridge Colleges: Homerton College

With roughly 1200 students (undergrad and grads combined) Homerton is the largest of the 31 constituent colleges at Cambridge in terms of student body size, although given that less than half of these students are resident undergraduates Homerton retains the same sort of feel as many of the more traditionally sized Colelges within Cambridge.

       Homerton College has one of the most convoluted histories of all the Cambridge Colleges, only receiving status as a member college of Cambridge in 1976, the college can claim a heritage that dates back the 18th century, and has roots not only in Cambridge, but in London and across the UK as an influence on the development of academic work around the subject of education.  In 1730 the a society was founded in London for the education of Christian young men, gaining steam classes had expanded by 1768, groups were meeting regularly and the society had garnered enough financial support to purchase a house in Homerton, London.  It was in 1817 that the society adopted the name Homerton Academy Society.  In 1850 Homerton was refounded as Homerton College following a transfer of it's seminary school the University of London.  As the area around Homerton became increasingly industrialized, the growing college began looking for new digs.  It was in 1894 that the Congregational Board of Education purchased the estate of Cavendish College, Cambridge after the institution (dedicated to providing poor students the chance to sit Tripos at Cambridge without having to pay the cost of joining a constitnuent college) folded.  Taking the new name of Homerton New College and Cavendish College in Cambridge, which was quicky and blissfully shortened to Homerton College at Cambridge, and shortly after that became an all women's education school.
        Homerton College thrived over the course of the next century, opening it's doors to mixed gender classes in 1976---the same year that the board of regents voted to besow on Homerton the status of "Approved Society of the University of Cambridge.  Making the nearly 300 year old institution the youngest of Cambridge's affiliated institution.  In 2001 Homerton added a post-graduate research community and began taking on more roles of a full Cambridge College, a status Homerton was finally officially awarded a Royal Charter in 2010.
       Much of Homerton's impressive archetecture dates from the late nineteenth century, and the great hall can be described as having a true "Harry Potter" feel, with huge arched wooden beams soaring overhead.  Homerton is also known for it's location very near both the Education Faculty and Addenbrooke's Research Hospital, making this youngest-college a very attractive option for education and medical students of all degree levels.  It's location, away from the city center, also affords Homerton College ample grounds for greenspace, on which they have sprawling gardens and at least one wild orchard.

       Well known Homerton alum includ Samuel Dyer, William Johnson Fox, Carol Ann Duffy, Samuel Morley and Tamzin Merchant.
       Despite being Cambridge's youngest college, Homerton holds onto it's own slew of traditions, including having first years drink from an African cow horn known as the Homerton Horn upon matriculation to the college, and a uniquely designed undergraduate gown that imitates those worn by female students around the turn of the 20th century.  Homerton, like almost all the Cambridge Colleges, claims that the best thing about it, are it's "people."