Murray Edwards College, Cambridge

History

Murray Edwards College was founded as ‘New Hall’ in 1954; six years after the University began awarding women degrees. The College was founded to welcome all outstanding young women of potential, no matter what their background, to the University of Cambridge – with a mission to provide the best education for female students possible.

More than 60 years later, this remains absolutely at the heart of their existence. They chose to remain a College for women in recognition of the fact that there is still much gender inequality facing women in the world today. Thus there is a need for institutions such as theirs which offer the additional focus on women’s education, to make sure their students get the most from Cambridge and, later, to help them meet the challenges of the workplace.

Alumna you may have heard of: Include Sue Perkins, Mishal Husain, Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, Tilda Swinton, Claudia Winkleman and the previous President Dame Barbara Stocking.

Food & beverage

Breakfast times are:

Monday-Friday  07:30 -09.30

Saturday - Sunday 07:30-10.00

Lunch and dinner is available on a pay-as-you-go basis during term but dinner is not available out of term however, there is a wide range of pubs and restaurants offering good food all within a 5-10 minute walk of the College.

If you just need a snack, there is a hot drinks machine in the bar area close to the Porters' Lodge and also a snack/cold drink vending machines downstairs in the Bar.

If the Bar is not being used for an event, guests are welcome to relax there. The Bar has a television available for guest use. There is no provision to serve food or drinks outside of pre-booked events. There are usually some board games available.

If you are attending a conference or event, your organiser should give you full details of all the meal arrangements made for your stay. A copy of this information is kept at the Porters’ Lodge.

Grounds & Gardens

The College has beautiful, informal gardens for guests to enjoy. Immerse yourself in nature, read a book, practice yoga, discuss the news, photograph the flora and fauna, FaceTime your bestie/parents/fur baby :-)

It's great to see your photographs - be sure to tag Murray Edwards Events on social media!

Other facilities

The New Hall Art Collection

The College is home to the unique New Hall Art Collection, which contains nearly 500 modern and contemporary works by women artists. The Collection includes works by Maggi Hambling, Barbara Hepworth and Paula Rego. Much of the artwork is on display in public areas of the college, so if you'd like to take an informal tour, an information leaflet is available from the Porters' Lodge. The Collection was featured in Vogue Magazine in January 2022, as one of the most stylish places to visit in Cambridge.

Events

The College is also a successful venue for a variety of events, including weddings, conferences, meetings and dinners. Should you wish to learn more about this aspect of Murray Edwards College, please visit Murray Edwards Event website. 

Working towards a more sustainable future, Murray Edwards College is celebrating winning a Gold Green Impact Award

Murray Edwards College was given the accolade as part of Cambridge University’s accreditation scheme which encourages and supports Colleges and departments to reduce their environmental impact and improve sustainability. In addition to the many projects underway, the College has also commissioned an innovative sustainability graphic to communicate its environmental objectives and chart its progress. It identifies and illustrates the different areas staff should be aware of in terms of ‘green’ responsibility across all teams including Housekeeping, Gardening, Catering, Porters’ Lodge and Administration.

Accessibility

The Porters' Lodge is staffed 24 hours a day and the friendly, helpful Porters are happy to help with queries. They also keep additional items, including hairdryers and alarm clocks, which are available to borrow.

All bedrooms are within easy reach of the Porters' Lodge and dining hall, where breakfast is served.

Some bedrooms are situated on the ground floor and many bedrooms and most other areas of the College are accessible by lift. There are a limited number of rooms that are suitable for guests with access needs also, please, complete a PEEP form available on the website. If you require further information on accessibility, please request this in the "Additional Information" section of the booking form.