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18 Rose Crescent pre 1888 (MoC)

18 Rose Crescent (The Little Gift Shop on the Corner)

History of 18 Rose Crescent

Circa 1888 Gonville and Caius College extended St Michael’s Court resulting in the demolition of the existing buildings at this location.

2018

The Little Gift Shop on the Corner

The Little Gift Shop inscription, Trinity Street

Cambridge Inscriptions Explained by Nancy Gregory (2006)  comments on this inscription.

EX PRUDENTIA ET LITTERIS VIRTUTIS PETRA FIRMATIS IMMORTALITAS

From wisdom and learning, founded upon the rock of virtue, come immortality

It dates back only to 1901-1904 when this block was built by Gonville and Caius College to provide more accommodation. The words are supposed to be those of John Caius, explaining the significance of the Caius arms granted to him in 1561.

On the coat of arms the two serpents represent wisdom, the books portrays learning and the buckles, keys (i.e. Caius). The stone slab is the rock of virtue and the sengrene (large flower) and ‘flowers gentle’ (small flowers) stand for immortality.

 

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