St Bene’t’s Church

St Bene't's Church tickets: which one to buy

Saint Bene't's Church stands on Bene't Street in the centre of Cambridge, a few steps from King's Parade and Corpus Christi College, and entry is free. It is the oldest building in Cambridge and the oldest church in the county, and it is a quiet place in the busiest part of the city. Walking tours of Cambridge often pass by and point out its Saxon tower, and it is an easy stop between King's College Chapel, the Corpus Clock and the market square.

The Eagle pub, where Francis Crick and James Watson announced their discovery of the structure of DNA in 1953, is next door. The church is an active Anglican parish, with services and a Franciscan connection, and it welcomes visitors during the day. There is a small cafe or tea table in the church at times, and the churchyard garden is a pleasant spot. Punting stations on the river are a few minutes away at Mill Lane and Silver Street.

Visiting St Bene't's Church: what to see

The tower of Saint Bene't's was built around the year 1020, in the late Anglo-Saxon period, and it is the oldest standing structure in Cambridge; its rough stonework and long and short work at the corners, with stones placed alternately upright and flat, are typical of Saxon building. Inside, the tower arch is also Saxon, with carved animals at the imposts. The rest of the church was rebuilt and extended in later centuries, with a medieval nave and aisles. For centuries the church served as the chapel of Corpus Christi College, which is connected to it by a gallery.

The bell-ringer Fabian Stedman, who developed the art of change ringing in the seventeenth century, was a parish clerk here, and ringing methods named after him are still used around the world. The church is dedicated to Saint Benedict, abbreviated to Bene't. The nave has a simple wooden roof and pews, and the north aisle holds memorials to parishioners and college members. A small display explains Fabian Stedman's contribution to bell-ringing. The churchyard is planted with flowers and trees. The Saxon tower windows, with their balusters, are visible from Bene't Street. The church also has a gallery linking it with Corpus Christi College, once used by the college fellows. The font dates from the medieval period.

St Bene't's Church opening hours and the best time to go

The church is open daily during daylight hours, with services on Sundays and some weekdays. Cambridge is busy in summer with tourists and language students, and in term time with university students; weekday mornings are quieter. Graduation days in late June fill King's Parade. The Cambridge Folk Festival in summer and the Christmas season, with carols at King's College, bring many visitors.

Bell-ringing practice sometimes takes place in the evening. Allow about fifteen minutes for the church, and combine it with a drink at The Eagle and a visit to King's College Chapel. The Corpus Clock, a mechanical clock with a grasshopper-like creature eating time, is a short walk away on Trumpington Street.