St John's College brick by brick

St John's students Aasha Joshi and Dan Ryan have created an alternative guided walk around the College, based on the many different styles of brickwork found on the College buildings.

From the classic 'English Bond' arrangement found in the College's earliest buildings in First and Second courts to the Victorian-era Flemish Bond of New Court and the intricate interlocking diamonds on the front of the Great Gate,the often-overlooked details of brickwork can reveal a lot about the architectural styles and time periods of different parts of St John's.

Aasha Joshi said: "Dan and I like to meander around Cambridge a lot. On our walks around St John's we realised a new way of looking at the College buildings, which many people ignore. We used the brickwork to create a guided walk around St John's so people can see and appreciate a different aspect of the architecture and history of the College."

Their article along with a map of College showing different brickwork styles can be found online, via the Johnian Blog.

The Department of Earth Sciences also offers a self-guided tour of Cambridge featuring the many brickwork and stone varieties around the city centre.