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Cambridge University (England)

[Cambridge University Cruising Club burgee]

image by Rob Raeside, 29 June 2007

Description of the flag
Cambridge University colours
Cambridge University Cruising Club burgee
Gonville and Caius College
Cambridge University Press

Description of the flag

The university flag flies on the Church of St Mary the Great, the University Church. It consists of an ermine upright cross on a red field, with a yellow lion passant in each quarter, and at the centre of the flag a red book.
Rob Raeside, 29 June 2007

The flag used by the University of Cambridge flag is a banner of arms, blazoned as follows: " Gules, a cross ermine between four lions passant gardant or, and on the cross a closed book fessways gules, clasped and garnished or, the clasps downward." Some documentary evidence in the university archives shows that the design of the university flag was considered in 1937. The arms themselves, however, were granted by Robert Cooke, Clarencieux Kings of Arms in Letters Parent on 09 June 1573.

Sources:
(1) University of Cambridge, Statutes and Ordinances of the University of Cambridge and Passages from Acts of Parliament relating to the University, Cambridge University Press, Revised edition 2006, ISBN 0-521-68547-8
(2) Cambridge University Archives, Armorial records of the University Arms, reference GBR/0265/Arms, covering dates 1573 to 1937 and in particular, Letters patent for the University to bear arms as depicted in colour in left hand margin, 9 June 1573, as consulted Janus web site, http://janus.lib.cam.ac.uk, 29 June 2007

Colin Dobson, 29 June 2007

Cambridge University colours

We have two sheets of drawing of Oxford and Cambridge club flags amongst a donation at the Library, but there is no source. Further, they have all been redrawn in coloured pencil, so the precise shades are not always apparent. I have corrected some using more general sources on the colleges. The flags are all drawn as 3:2.

Christ's: blue
Clare: black over yellow
Corpus Christi: red over white
Downing: brown
Emmanuel: red over blue
Gonville & Caius: light blue over black
Jesus: red over black
King's: light blue
Magdalene: dark blue over light blue
Pembroke: crimson over light blue
Peterhouse: dark blue over white
St. Catherine's: blue over white
St. John's: red over white
Sidney Sussex: red over light blue
Trinity: dark blue
Trinity Hall: black over white

Cambridge University Cruising Club burgee

image by António Martins-Tuválkin, 17 February 2006

An unusual yacht club burgee is that of the Cambridge University Cruising Club, which can be found at www.srcf.ucam.org/cucrc/central/healthandsafety.htm.
Ron Lahav, 17 February 2006

It is a (dark) red triangular flag in 7:10 ratio with a white cross offset to the hoist with 13 ermine spots on it (5 vertically and 9 horizontally, crossing at the fourth); on the upper hoist red area, an heraldic lion or passant guardant.
António Martins-Tuválkin, 17 February 2006

This flag is clearly based upon the arms of the University of Cambridge, as blazoned on the pages of the Cambridge University Heraldic and Genealogical Society and as used on the University of Cambridge's home page and physically throughout the town.
Colin Dobson, 18 February 2006

British yacht clubs and sailing clubs index

Gonville and Caius College

image by Jonathan Dixon, 9 July 2007

This very large banner of arms was flying at Gonville and Caius College on one occasion (13 April 2007). The arms of Gonville and Caius College were formed in 1575 by impaling the arms of the founders, Edmund Gonville and John Caius (http://www.cai.cam.ac.uk/rota.php?count=3). A blazon can be found at http://www.netsoc.tcd.ie/~peterh/armscantab.html, a page with blazons for all the Cambridge colleges:

"Argent, on a chevron between two couple closes indented sable three escallops or impaling, Or semy of flowers gentle, in the middle of the chief a sengrene resting upon the heads of two serpents in pale, their tails knit together, all in proper colour, resting upon a square marble stone vert, between their breasts a book sable garnished gules, buckles or; all within a bordure compony argent and sable."

Jonathan Dixon, 9 July 2007

Cambridge University Press

image by Jonathan Dixon, 9 July 2007

The flag of Cambridge University Press (CUP), a department of the University of Cambridge, is the CUP logo on a blue field. The logo consists of the shield from the university arms to the left of the text "CAMBRIDGE" over "UNIVERSITY PRESS" in a white serif font. This flag has been flying whenever I have passed their building on Trumpington St, Cambridge.
Jonathan Dixon, 9 July 2007