Blog

We were so proud to have been chosen to design a new garden for Peterhouse, Cambridge, the oldest of the Cambridge colleges. The three acre plot is on the North side of Trumpington Street, bound by Fitzwilliam Street and Tennis Court Road. Known as Cosin Court, the plan is to create a series of accessible, inviting gardens with a particular focus on health and well-being.

What’s been great fun is exploring the history behind many Cambridge features that we all take for granted. In particular, Hobsons’ Conduit, the inspiration behind our Cosin Court water feature. Hobson’s Conduit was the brainchild of Peterhouse’s Andrew Perne and has been transporting freshwater into Cambridge since 1575.

I spent the day tracking Hobson’s Conduit from the source: Nine Wells near Great Shelford to where it runs along either side of Trumpington Street towards the city centre, stopping to sketch various features to be used in the design process. Probably one of the most magnificent sections is its run alongside Cambridge Botanical Gardens. Railings, bridges and mown banks formalise the brook befitting for the botanical setting. An accidental overflow has created a peaceful musical trickle one that I am keen to recreate within Cosin Court.

For more information on the project: https://www.pet.cam.ac.uk/sites/www.pet.cam.ac.uk/files/peterhouse_newsletter_issue_21.pdf