Founded in
1800 by Sir George Downing, after whom the street in London is also named. The
college was originally planned to a grand scheme, and constructed in a strictrly
classical style. Unfortunately the scheme had to be abandoned after a long series of legal wranglings which left the college as one of the poorest in
Cambridge. Nevertheless, the buildings that have been built are quite magnificent, including their newly built library designed by Quinlan Terry.
John Cleese and Quentin Blake both studied here. Blake was recently awarded an honourary fellowship by the college.