Trinity College Library, Cambridge

This year we are welcoming 269 new students who will signing the Admissions Book in the Wren Library.

Trinity College Admissions Book: some entries from 1827, including that of Lord Alfred Tennyson, who matriculated at the age of 18.

Detail from the Admissions Book entry of Lord Alfred Tennyson.

Personal Details of Lord Alfred Tennyson.

One of Trinity’s longest traditions is the annual signing of the Admissions Book. Today, 266 new students will inscribe their names in College history by signing the book themselves. ✍🏾 The images show poet Lord Alfred Tennyson’s entry from 1827, along with personal details written in his own hand.

”…that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.”
Ulysses 1833, by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Poet Laureate, died #OTD 1892.
Trinity College Cambridge Chapel
@trincolllibcam.bsky.social

A character wearing a scarf on his head is blowing a trumpet.

To all those who are braving the weather to travel to Cambridge over the weekend. We are excited to be welcoming students for the new year.

This image is from 13th c MSS B.11.4
mss-cat.trin.cam.ac.uk/Manuscript/B...

A view across Cambridge colleges towards Cambridge University Library

🍂Michaelmas term starts this week!

We’ve created a guide for new and returning University of Cambridge students, including online resources, top tips, skills training, tours, collections, and what’s new this term.

https://loom.ly/EmsWxrs

Two drawings of jugs in the bottom margin under manuscript text.

Is it coffee time yet? MSS R.9.17
See the whole manuscript here: mss-cat.trin.cam.ac.uk/Manuscript/R...
#marginaliaMonday

Copy that Floppy Cafe 💾
📅Thursday 9 October, 2-5pm
Come have your floppy disk data transferred to a modern format at Cambridge University Library!
For more info and to book: https://loom.ly/FRjMsM8

1824: Had a visit from my friend Henderson of Milton who brought Don Juan in his Pocket. I was very ill & nursing my head in my hand but he reviv'd me & advised me to read Don Juan. We talked about books & flowers & butterflys till noon & then he descanted on Don Juan which he admird very much I...

For information about our opening hours during Open Cambridge check out the website here:

www.opencambridge.cam.ac.uk/events/wren-...

YouTube video by Trinity College, Cambridge library

Visiting the Wren Library for Open Cambridge this Saturday? Trainee Librarian Evie is here to show you how to get there from Great gate!☺️

The walk takes around 7 minutes.

Thanks for the picture... you caught our best side! 😀

I really want pizza now...

Image of a plate created by Marie-Anne Paulze Lavoisier for her husband's publication, "𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘌𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘦". The image features drawings of flasks and tubes and various other scientific equipment.

Not in Cambridge? No problem! One of our newest exhibitions has been just been digitised.

Featuring icons such as Lise Meitner, Mary Somerville and Émilie du Châtelet, "𝘐𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘌𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵: 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘍𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘦 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘻𝘦𝘳𝘴" can be found at this link:

www.trin.cam.ac.uk/library/in-h...

The full digitised text is available to explore on the Wren Digital Library! mss-cat.trin.cam.ac.uk/manuscripts/...

Title page of Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica by Isaac newton, published 1686. The title page features some crossings out and words in Latin

Image of page 106 of Newton's Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica, containing a large amount of inked notes in Latin filling the margin.

For today’s #MarginaliaMonday, we’re heading back to 1686 with Isaac Newton’s own copy of 𝘗𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘪æ 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘪𝘢 𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢. Filled with his handwritten notes, we can get a small glimpse into his mind.🧠

Space for one more? 😀⚽

Image of the back of a letter in the collection of Dawson Turner correspondence. A paragraph of neat handwriting in black ink tops and tails the page, with swipes of pastel in various blues, yellows, browns and pinks filling the middle.

What better use for the back of a letter than to test out some new colours?

These bright swatches were found in the correspondence of antiquary and botanist Dawson Turner (1775–1858).

A little bit of colour living in a world of paper and ink.🎨

Philosophy bids you all good night

Trinity College Cambridge, O.3.7; Boethius, De consolatione philosophiae, with commentary; last quarter of the 10th cent; Canterbury, St Augustine's Abbey; f.1r @trincolllibcam.bsky.social

The full manuscript is digitized and can be found here: mss-cat.trin.cam.ac.uk/manuscripts/...

Image of a manuscript from the 14th century featuring an illustration of a man playing the flute. He is quite the character. He is posed rather awkwardly and wears bright orange socks!

Anyone else have that bank holiday Friday feeling?

Time to kick back, relax and... play the flute?🎵

(Trinity College MS B.11.22)

A pair of white satellite dishes at an observatory. A group of tourists are getting a talk about them on a sunny day.

The historic Institute of Astronomy Cambridge building against a stormy sky. Rising from the roof is the dome of the observatory.

A path winding through a lush garden, in soft dappled sunlight.

The majestic Wren Library at Trinity College, Cambridge. High white ceiling, over a black and white checkered floor, lined on either side with tall, wooden bookcases filled with a variety of books. White busts stand at various points.

Explore some of Cambridge’s iconic landmarks this September with Open Cambridge from ‪@cambridgefestival.bsky.social‬ 🎟️

Some events are hugely popular, so don't miss out – book your spot now: bit.ly/479qMiT

#Cambridge #Tour #Explore #CambridgeUniversity

I did wonder where I had seen it before!

If anyone can up with a good name for this new artwork I would be eternally grateful. Plus, we could even install a plaque!

Red filing boxes piled between two pillars in a random and nonsensical way, with some upside down, to the side, or balancing on the corner.

It started as a routine book move. Before we know it, it’s a modern art installation (or perhaps a minor safety concern).

It's hard to say.

#FoundArt

So cute!!!!

Image corner of an illuminated manuscript from the 15th century, including a brown dog whose head is in a golden pot.

For this edition of #MarginaliaMonday, here’s a poor puppy stuck in a pot! Spotted in the margins of a 15th century manuscript, he’s clearly been caught in the middle of some questionable decision-making.

(Trinity College MS B.1.46)

Tennyson : 'In Memoriam' manuscript notebook A long, slim, rebound manuscript notebook watermarked 1834, contains drafts of 71 sections of In Memoriam and one draft of

Tennyson's full notebook featuring draft sections of 𝘐𝘯 𝘔𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘮 can be found here: cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk/view/MS-O-00...

Page from Alfred Tennyson’s notebook featuring scrawled handwritten notes, “adelantado,” “VIII,” “1842,” “Novaitu,” and “Nov”, alongside a sketch of a man in profile, with prominent sideburns, swished hair, and a decorative, buttoned shirt.

Page from Alfred Tennyson’s notebook featuring six evenly-spaced stanzas of six lines each. The writing reads: Nature so far as in her lies, Imitates God & turns her face To every land beneath the skies Counts nothing, that she meets with, base, But lives & loves in every place; Fills out the edging quickset screens And makes the purple lilac ripe Steps from her airy hill & greens The swamp, where hums the drooping snipe, With braided moss & ^braided paddock-pipe; And on my heart a finger lays Saying ‘beat mournful heart: the time Is pleasant & the elm & lime Put forth a feel of gladder clime. Come beat a little quicker not When all things own my quickening breath Thy friend is mute: his brows are low But I am with thee till thy death; Some such kind words to me she saith Yet she is mortal, even as I; Or as that friend I loved in vain. She only whispering, low or high, Thro’ all this cloud of grief & pain I had not found my peace again. But murmurs of a holier deeper voice Going before to some far shrine Are learning me the purer choice Till all my life one way incline With some wide will that closes mine."

Happy birthday to Alfred Tennyson, born #OTD in 1809! Best known for his poetry, Tennyson was also a keen doodler. The Trinity alum drew this face in his notebook while drafting 𝘐𝘯 𝘔𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘮.

(Trinity College MS, O.15.13)

An old monochrome picture postcard showing medieval college buildings around a quad, with an ornate fountain /well in the centre. Printed at the top of the card is "Front Court, Trinity College, Cambridge"

Here's Trinity College Cambridge, within which @trincolllibcam.bsky.social can be found

Lise Meitner (1878-1968) was an Austrian physicist whose pioneering work led to the discovery of nuclear fission. Find out all about her story in our latest blog post!

trinitycollegelibrarycambridge.wordpress.com/2025/08/01/s...