Cambridge Streets
On average, we complete two house removals a day in Cambridge, so it would be fair to say we have seen and worked in almost all of the streets within the City. We believe Cambridge is a beautiful place and we love working here, but we feel there are certain Cambridge streets that stand out over and above the rest.
Here we list our top five Cambridge Streets and give our reasons for regarding them so highly.
Mill Road
Possibly the most famous street in Cambridge and home to many a well known character, from the homeless people selling the Big Issue, the droves of students walking to and from lectures to the local shop keeper who has been trading on the street for the last thirty years. There really is something about Mill Road that just makes it different from the other streets in Cambridge. Some may moan about the introduction of a 20mph speed limit on City roads but most wouldn’t seem to mind if it happened on Mill Road, it would just mean more time to take in what’s going on all around.
Running southeast from Parker’s Piece all the way to Brooks Road, Mill Road certainly has its fair share of celebrities too. Carlos the Kebab Man, Abdul Arain, owner of Al-Amin who went up against Brian Blessed and Lord Sainsbury for the role of Cambridge University Chancellor, and even Cambridge Van Man owner Jon Lamming lived there when he was a student!
Many famous people have lived in the area and walked Mill Road on a regular basis. Syd Barrett and Dave Gilmour of Pink Floyd, Gordon Fraser, a publisher who lived at 274a Mill Road during the late 30’s, where a notorious week long party took place, attended by Dylan Thomas, and Tom Karen, an amazingly interesting person who designed the Reliant Scimitar GTE, the Bond Bug and the Raleigh Chopper, all have resided in and around Mill Road.
Trinity Street
We have listed Trinity Street as one of our top five Cambridge streets because we think it is one of the most beautiful and interesting of all the City streets; also the easy access to Trinity Street makes it easy to carry out our Man and Van deliveries and collections there.
Trinity Street is home to a number of different Cambridge University Colleges including St John’s, Trinity and Gonville and Caius. When passing down Trinity Street an apple tree can be seen outside Trinity College. The apple tree is planted in what was once Sir Isaac Newton’s garden and the tree is said to be a cutting from the famous apple tree where Newton observed an apple falling to the ground, prompting him to think of his theory about the universal laws of gravitation.
As well as the different clothes shop, bars and restaurants located on Trinity Street there is the site of an extremely famous bookshop. No1 Trinity Street was the former site of Bowes and Bowes, a bookseller and publishing company. It claims to be the oldest bookshop in the UK, selling books since 1581. Unfortunately Bowes and Bowes closed in 1986 but it continued to be a bookshop and has now become the Cambridge University Press bookshop.
Queens Road
Queens Road or The Backs, as its known by most Cambridge locals, is a truly amazing road. It got its name as The Backs because it runs parallel to the back of several Cambridge University Colleges and the famous River Cam. Queens Road looks wonderful during every season. In spring there is a fabulous display of snowdrops, bluebells and daffodils. In summer the huge, green Oak Trees look splendid against the backdrop of tourists, locals and students punting up and down the river. Autumn is a wonderful sight with an array of red, yellow and orange leaves everywhere. And its definitely worth braving the cold for a walk along The Backs in Winter to admire the colleges while everywhere has a crisp, white covering of snow and ice.
New Square
We just think there is something about these former working class houses surrounding the green grass square area that makes this area feel a bit special. The grass area is a wonderful place to sit and watch shoppers pass by, either coming from the historic town or going to the newer Grafton Centre area.
Riverside
A lovely Cambridge Road with delightful views overlooking the River Cam. The street is made up of Victorian terrace houses and apartments as well as riverboats moored up along the river. It’s impossible not to admire the view from the windows of the apartments and houses on Riverside when moving someone in or out of one of these properties. The location offers the perfect place to ‘people watch’ from an armchair or sofa as cyclists, joggers and families pass by. The colourful riverboats moored alongside the road brighten up the dullest of days and in wintertime they fill the air with the smell from their wood burning stoves.
Jon Lamming writes on various topics about Cambridge Man and Van removal services, house clearance, storage and packing. Here he writes about favourite streets in Cambridge. Besides writing for blogs Jon enjoys surfing all over the world, Thai Boxing, riding his motorbike and being a father to his two girls, Emily and Olivia. www.cambridgevanman.co.uk
