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King Street looking west from the Four Lamps

King Street (Wall’s Lane)

History of King Street

An article in the Cambridge Evening News, date unknown but probably the 1980s, contains the following:

King Street, known originally as Wall’s Lane, possibly because Sidney Sussex and Christ’s College had their boundary walls on the street, has almost certainly contained some buildings since as far back as the 12th century, when it is thought to have been part of the manor (hence manor Street and Manor Place) of the nuns of St Radegund, who had their convent on the site of Jesus College.

A very early benefactor of the nunnery was King Malcolm IV of Scotland, Earl of Huntingdon, after whom Malcolm Street is named.

Several streams and waterways run under King Street, and of special interest is the large well which can still be seen under the Radegund public house near the Four Lamps Corner.

See also short report in 2024 Proceedings of CAS, Archaeological Investigations at 6-18 King Street.

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