The College was founded by King Henry VI in 1441 and was originally intended as a college for pupils from Eton College, itself founded by Henry. Over the following centuries the college the gradually broadened its intake and indeed is now widely regarded to be amongst the most progressive of the Cambridge colleges. As of 2003, around 80% of the British undergraduate intake were educated at state schools.
The College Chapel
The College's Chapel, considered a fine example of late Gothic architecture, was built over the period of 100 years in three stages. Much of the stone used to build the Chapel came from Ramsey Abbey near Ramsey, Cambridgeshire. The chapel features the world's largest fan vault, some fine examples of stained glass and the painting "The Adoration of the Magi" by Rubens.
The chapel continues to be used actively as a place of worship and also for some college events. The Chapel choir consists of students from both the college itself and the nearby King's College School. The choir traditionally broadcast their Nine Lessons and Carols on the BBC from the chapel on Christmas Eve.
The Chapel is widely seen as the symbol of Cambridge, for example in the logo of the city council (image (http://beacon.cambridge.gov.uk/images/ccc_logo.gif)).
Cambridge is a member of the Russell Group, a network of large, research-led British universities; the Coimbra Group, an association of leading European universities; the LERU (League of European Research Universities), and the IARU (International Alliance of Research Universities).
Cambridge is a collegiate university, with its main functions divided between the central departments of the university and a number of colleges.
Cambridge's status as a University is further confirmed by a decree in 1233 from Pope Gregory IX which awarded the ius non trahi extra (a form of legal protection) to the chancellor and universitas of scholars at Cambridge.
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