Peterhouse

The first college in Cambridge was Peterhouse, founded in 1284.

As mentioned, for the university's first 75 years, there were no colleges at all, just scholars renting rooms around town.

Then the Bishop of Ely sponsored a permanent community.

Hugh de Balsham bought 2 houses just outside the Trumpington Gate to house a Master and 14 Fellows, and gave them use of the church of St Peter next door - which is where the college takes its name.

Peterhouse's wealth grew with land acquisitions, notably 70 acres at Fen Ditton in the 14th century, and the rectory of Hinton in the 15th century.

The college model turned out to be one of the university's most consequential inventions.

Indeed, rather than one central institution, Cambridge became a federation of self-governing houses, each with its own hall, chapel, endowment and character, and it is still built that way today.

Fun fact : Peterhouse is still the smallest of the colleges, with fewer than 500 students in all.

Five of its alumni have won Nobel Prizes in the sciences - a considerable return from a college that size.

Some of its famous alumni include Henry Cavendish (who discovered hydrogen), Charles Babbage (who designed the difference engine and originated the idea of a programmable computer), Lord Kelvin (who helped formulate the first and second laws of thermodynamics) and Frank Whittle (who co-created the turbojet engine).