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309:, was completed in November 2007 and released on 1 December 2007. It sets out proposals for the evolution of The Backs over the next 50 years. Myers' proposal is to improve the "legibility, coherence and visual quality of the landscape as a whole" by retaining and enhancing the existing structure of the landscape and sight lines, while screening off the traffic on Queens Road. Over-mature and inappropriately-sited trees will be removed and new ones planted. In addition, there will be a phased replacement of avenues, an extension of the "wilderness" planting behind St John's and along the edge of Queens Road, and the creation of a "
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style parkland with its focus on King's
College's Gibbs Building. The plan would have involved removing avenues, transforming the river into a lake, and planting clumps of trees to screen the other colleges. It was never implemented, possibly because it would have removed historic college boundaries
278:, a Backs Committee was formed in 1979 so that a joint approach could be taken to the problem facing The Backs. As a result of the committee's work, trees were cut down and new ones planted in their place. However, the committee stopped meeting in 1994.
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The colleges are currently in consultation with the City
Council and English Heritage regarding the report, and if it is approved will carry out the suggested work in their own time using their own funds.
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813:
The Future of the Backs: A Memorandum
Summarising the Results to Date of Discussion and Action Initiated by King's College Garden Committee in 1974, with Recommendations for Future Coordinated Action
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trees to the Queens Road to create an additional "rung" to the "ladder effect" created by other tree avenues, and to plant more trees and wilderness to partly enclose a stretch of grass.
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or growing fruit. Cattle can still be found grazing behind King's
College. The river was also an important commercial thoroughfare to the mill at Silver Street.
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In the 16th century, the area consisted of pasture, gardens and orchards owned by colleges of the
University, with wooden bridges across the
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The Backs refers to the colleges' backs. The region is made up of the following colleges' back grounds (from north to south):
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reported that "there has been a remarkable degree of consensus between institutions well known for prizing their autonomy".
252:. The colleges ultimately planted avenues of trees and built sturdier bridges. In 1772, St John's College consulted English
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The Backs (An
Outline for the Formation of a Joint Policy for the Conservation of the Trees and Landscape...)
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259:(1716â1783), who laid out a "wilderness" on the college side of Queen's Road which still exists today.
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619:"Landscape plan for the Cambridge Backs [print version: Way forward for the Cambridge Backs]"
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313:". In particular, as regards Queens' Green at the southern end of The Backs, which is owned by
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Detail of a 1798 map surveyed by
William Custance and engraved by J. Russell showing The Backs
89:
The Backs appear as the horizontal green band in the middle left of this aerial photograph of
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colleges on The Backs commissioned Robert Myers, a landscape architect who had studied at
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has rated the view of The Backs and King's
College as one of the top ten in England.
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King's
College Chapel and the Gibbs Building (King's College) from the Backs
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130:(left) was the first major college building built on the west side of the
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In 1779, Brown presented a plan to the
University of Cambridge to create
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44:
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A Plan Presented to the University of Cambridge for Some Alterations by
172:â buildings on the east bank but with no rear grounds on the west bank.
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Spendlowe Lamborn's late-18th-century engravings of the Old Bridge at
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842:. Robert Myers Associates. November 2007: 28. Archived from
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Historically, much of the land was used by the colleges for
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Sometimes included in The Backs are the following colleges:
21:
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Academical Elysium â The Landscaping of the Cambridge Backs
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Some of the references in this section were obtained from
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One of the earliest drawings of The Backs, included in a
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685:. Robert Myers Associates. November 2007. Archived from
481:'s avenue and gate to Queen's Road viewed from the Backs
166:â buildings on the east bank, spanned by Trinity bridge.
190:â buildings on both sides of the river, spanned by the
184:â buildings on the east bank, spanned by King's bridge.
317:, there is a proposal to extend an existing avenue of
178:â buildings on the east bank, spanned by Clare bridge.
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with their grounds covering both banks of the river.
225:â just beyond the northern end of The Backs, behind
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Bedders, Bulldogs and Bedells: A Cambridge Glossary
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772:"Queens College Record 2000 â The Grove Elms"
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205:â grounds on the west bank just south of the
726:Stubbings, Frank H. (Henry) (comp.) (1995).
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725:
496:'s Jerwood Library on the bank of the Cam
837:"The Backs Cambridge landscape strategy"
680:"The Backs Cambridge landscape strategy"
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625:(Gardening). p. G3. Archived from
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711:The Backs Cambridge Landscape Strategy
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307:The Backs Cambridge Landscape Strategy
33:, Clare Bridge, and the back lawns of
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730:(Rev. and enl. ed.). Cambridge:
105:plan engraved by Richard Lyne in 1574
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617:Buchan, Ursula (30 November 2007).
508:View of the northern end, with the
13:
953:Parks and open spaces in Cambridge
891:Map of the University of Cambridge
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656:. 20 December 2007. Archived from
293:Present-day and future development
142:A 1743 engraving of The Backs and
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822:Trinity College: A Garden History
219:at the southern end of The Backs.
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59:, where several colleges of the
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646:"The Backs landscape strategy"
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516:, from St John's College tower
1:
963:University of Cambridge sites
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713:, above, para 5.8 on page 19.
569:New Court - St John's College
267:and three important bridges.
257:Lancelot ("Capability") Brown
128:St John's College's New Court
552:"Our glorious land in peril"
528:List of bridges in Cambridge
401:Chapel viewed from the Backs
7:
938:Gardens by Capability Brown
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826:Trinity College, Cambridge
776:Queens' College, Cambridge
732:Cambridge University Press
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16:Area in Cambridge, England
25:Part of The Backs at the
761:Whiffen, Marcus (1947),
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654:University of Cambridge
299:University of Cambridge
207:Magdalene Street Bridge
103:University of Cambridge
61:University of Cambridge
27:University of Cambridge
943:Geography of Cambridge
870:Cite journal requires
811:Walters, S.M. (1979).
778:. 2000. Archived from
315:Cambridge City Council
285:listed The Backs as a
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581:"The Cambridge Backs"
430:King's College Chapel
384:King's College Chapel
287:Grade 1 Historic Park
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948:History of Cambridge
914:52.20437°N 0.11404°E
820:Brown, Jane (2002).
274:trees succumbing to
270:In response to many
47:area to the east of
910: /
849:on 23 December 2007
802:Workman, J (1976).
692:on 23 December 2007
660:on 22 December 2007
629:on 8 February 2008.
623:The Daily Telegraph
585:puntcambridge.co.uk
556:www.telegraph.co.uk
331:The Daily Telegraph
254:landscape architect
192:Mathematical Bridge
782:on 28 January 2008
514:University Library
328:In December 2007,
297:In the 2000s, six
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919:52.20437; 0.11404
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311:wildlife corridor
276:Dutch elm disease
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851:. Retrieved
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917: /
853:21 December
786:21 December
696:21 December
664:21 December
591:23 December
533:Punt (boat)
227:Jesus Green
45:picturesque
932:Categories
902:52°12âē16âģN
720:References
958:River Cam
905:0°06âē51âģE
461:River Cam
281:In 1995,
250:River Cam
238:livestock
203:Magdalene
155:St John's
144:Cambridge
132:River Cam
91:Cambridge
73:chairman
65:River Cam
53:Cambridge
41:The Backs
755:Articles
522:See also
81:The name
29:showing
338:Gallery
244:History
235:grazing
188:Queens'
164:Trinity
146:skyline
57:England
738:
447:Bridge
371:Bridge
213:Darwin
182:King's
118:, 1779
847:(PDF)
840:(PDF)
690:(PDF)
683:(PDF)
539:Notes
463:near
445:Clare
319:beech
223:Jesus
176:Clare
43:is a
876:help
855:2007
815:. :
806:. :
788:2007
765:, :
736:ISBN
698:2007
666:2007
593:2020
512:and
428:and
367:and
272:elm
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861:{{
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