Midsummer Common

Places and Spaces

“Midsummer Common, I love that’s it’s a bit wild and the cows there every summer.”

“Big green spaces: Midsummer Common, Coldham’s Common, Jesus Green, etc. I love that the city has preserved these spaces. They are great with friends, with a drink, with a dog, with a picnic, with a frisbee… They are calming and well-maintained and exist without barrier to entry.”

1844

Monday 11th November 1844

Mr Van Amburgh’s Royal Collection of Trained Animals performed in Cambridge. This travelling circus included Equestrians, Tigers, Lions, Monkeys. The carriages containing the animals were led in GRAND PROCESSION by a brass band. This travelled from Hills Road, Trumpington Street, Bene’s Street, Market Street, Jesus Lane to Midsummer Common.

Part of the act included Mr Van Amburgh’s taming of the ‘lordly lion and ferocious tiger’.

In his diary, Josiah Chater notes an attempt by Mr J Doughty to pull down the amusements, but the Mayor intervened.

11th November Chater (the day before his 16th birthday) witnessed the parade. ‘About eleven o’clock they came down Market Street I went up and looked out the garret windows I saw them all very plainly’.

Visit Places and Spaces

Information on Midsummer Common.