Great St. Mary’s foundations were thought to have been laid around 1010 and it was first recorded in legal documents in 1205, when it was called ‘St. Mary-by-the-market’. It became the University of Cambridge church when scholars arrived in 1209 and it has been in the heart of Cambridge for over a thousand years! The church completely burnt down in 1290, which wasn’t surprising, as it was surrounded by thatched roofed buildings and wooden market stalls. Eventually in 1478 they started rebuilding the church- which is the church you can see there today! 

During Tudor times there was a great deal of activity in and around Great St. Mary’s, including the building of Hobson’s fountain in Market Square and the burning of Bucer’s dead body under the order of Mary I. There were also a number of royal visits, including Elizabeth I, when she came to Cambridge in 1564. Sadly the church was still not complete when she arrived and it was surrounded by deep mud, so they had to pour bags of sand onto the ground to try and cover the mess. The church was also fined for not having the bells ring on her arrival! Many Tudor monarchs also donated to the building of the church, and Elizabeth I said she would do the same on her visit to Cambridge- but she never kept her promise!

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