The Backs

In the 16th century, the area consisted of pasture, gardens and orchards owned by colleges of the University, with wooden bridges across the River Cam. The colleges ultimately planted avenues of trees and built sturdier bridges. In 1772, St John's College consulted English landscape architect Lancelot ("Capability") Brown (1716–1783), who laid out a "wilderness" on the college side of Queen's Road which still exists today. In 1779, Brown presented a plan to the University of Cambridge to create country-house style parkland with its focus on King's College's Gibbs Building. The plan would have involved removing avenues, transforming the river into a lake, and planting clumps of trees to…

.|alt=]] plan engraved by Richard Lyne in 1574]] , 1779]] (left) was the first major college building built on the west side of the River Cam.]] skyline]] The Backs refers to the colleges' backs. The region is made up of the following colleges' back grounds (from north to south): Sometimes included in The Backs are the following colleges: Historically, much of the land was used by the colleges for grazing livestock or growing fruit. Cattle can still be found grazing behind King's College. The river was also an important commercial thoroughfare to the mill at Silver Street.