The Rayne Building and the Dining Hall, both built in the late 1960s shortly after the foundation of the College, have both been listed at Grade II by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on the advice of Historic England. Newnham Grange and the Hermitage have also been relisted at Grade II.
The buildings were designed by architects Howell, Killick, Partridge and Amis to blend unobtrusively with the existing historic buildings on site. Housing the Porters’ Lodge, staff offices, student accommodation and the Dining Hall, they form a central hub of the College, without detracting from the original houses in which it is based.
The Arts and Heritage Minister, Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay, said:
Darwin College’s sympathetic fusion of old and new is a key part of the post-war evolution of the ancient University of Cambridge. I am delighted that these accomplished buildings have been listed in time for the 60th anniversary of the College’s foundation. This status will ensure that they are protected and can continue to nurture and inspire exceptional graduate minds for generations to come.
Darwin College Bursar, John Dix, said:
“We are pleased that the sympathetic design of the buildings, and the sense of cohesion they create within the College, has been recognised in this way. While the historic significance and aesthetic appeal of Newnham Grange and the Hermitage have long been recognised, the Dining Hall and the Rayne Building are more than simply filler. They are fine modern buildings central to much of Darwin’s life as a College, and a worthy reflection of the ambitions of the College’s founders.”
