Religion in Family History

While in Cambridge earlier this month I visited several colleges at Cambridge University.

I previously wrote about A Visit to Pembroke College where my ancestor Roger Williams went to school.

I also visited Christ’s College where another ancestor went to school.

Richard Barnard was the father-in-law of Roger Williams who was married his daughter Mary.

Here is the Great Gate of Christ’s College on St. Andrew’s street. I was able to enter the college grounds and wander around and take some pictures.

Richard Barnard was at Christ’s College from 1592 to 1598. The  name may not be familiar to you unless you have studied the Puritans and Separatists.

Richard Barnard served at the parish church of Worksop after he left Cambridge. Worksop is very near Scrooby where many of the Mayflower passengers were from. At Worksop he associated with William Brewster and John Robinson who was the organizer of the Mayflower journey.

I really like this picture of the ivy covered walls of the college. I can only imagine what it looks like in the summer. Perhaps I will get to visit there again someday.

This plaque caught my eye while I was wandering through the grounds. Some of you will probably know who this is. This is Charles Darwin.

Darwin also went to Christ’s College in Cambridge, but more than 200 years later than Richard.

Another notable alumnus of Christ’s College is John Milton. He entered Christ’s College in 1625 so was in Cambridge at the same time as Roger Williams who left in 1627. I am not sure if Milton and Williams knew each other when they were students, but they were friends later in life when Williams was back in London obtaining a charter for Rhode Island.

Here is the chapel at Christ’s College. The chapel was built in the early 1500’s so would have been there when Richard Barnard was a student. It wouldn’t have looked quite like this as it has been remodeled many times in almost 500 years. However, I could imagine my 11th great grandfather worshiping in the chapel and also leading a service as he prepared himself for a lifetime of service to the church.

Here is the chapel at Pembroke College. This chapel is not as old. It was also not there when Roger Williams went to school. The chapel was built in the 1660’s by the famous architect Christopher Wren.

I mentioned two notable alumni of Christ’s College, so I will also mention two from Pembroke College.

William Pitt the Younger was a Pembroke student in the 1770’s and the poet Edmund Spenser was a student in the 1570’s.

I enjoyed the visit to Christ’s College, but it didn’t have quite as much significance as my visit to Pembroke College.

Steven

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