Three buildings at a Cambridge University college get Grade II listing

Three "fantastic buildings" at a Cambridge University college have been given Grade II listing.

Fitzwilliam College's Central Hall Building, New Court and Chapel have been given the listing by Historic England.

The college began in 1869 and provided Cambridge education to undergraduates who were unable to afford membership of a college.

The Central Hall Building was designed by renowned post-war architect Sir Denys Lasdun as part of his 1960s masterplan for the college.

Architects MacCormac, Jamieson and Prichard (MJP) created New Court in the 1980s and the Chapel in the early 1990s as part of a revised masterplan.

Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Historic England, said the buildings "form a reinterpretation of the traditional Cambridge college.

"They were designed for an optimistic, forward-looking, post-war England, when university access was rapidly expanding, and new democratic ideals were finding architectural expression.

"Each building is highly individual, with thoughtful detailing and an imaginative approach, a testament to the exceptional creativity of Lasdun and MJP in partnership with Fitzwilliam’s academic community."

The bursar of Fitzwilliam College, Rod Cantrill, said: "The evolution of the college buildings on our main site in the last 60 years mirrors the maturing of the college’s academic community.

"Our buildings tell our story and show how Fitz does Cambridge a little differently – from the ambitious future thinking of a social hub for the whole of the college community in our Central Hall Building defined by the symbolism of our gravity-defying glass lantern, to our ‘floating’ Chapel, to the characteristically practical and sociable student kitchen spaces in New Court."

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