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Porters' Lodge (Old Court)

Clare College, Old Court, Trinity Lane, Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1TL

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Access Guide

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Getting To and Around Clare College (Old Court)

  • Arriving By Car or Bike View
    • Clare College has 3 sites; Memorial Court, Old Court and The Colony. Old Court is located in central Cambridge, at the end of Trinity Lane. Much of the city centre is pedestrianised and vehicular access is restricted. There are various Park and Ride schemes for people who would prefer to not drive into central Cambridge.
    • There is no on-site parking at Old Court but there is limited parking at Memorial Court and The Colony. This is with prior permission only. Students are generally not permitted to use cars in the immediate locality unless given permission based on specific requirements.
    • Cycling is a popular form of transport in Cambridge. The city is relatively flat and there is an extensive network of cycle routes. There is provision for bicycle storage at Clare College.
    • For more information on directions to Clare College please click here (opens new tab).
    • For more information on cycle routes and maps in Cambridge please click here (opens new tab).
  • By Bus View
  • By Train View
  • Accessing the College Site View
    • At the time of the survey there were construction works being carried out at the Old Court site. The Fellows Garden was closed due to this and access around the site was restricted.
    • The main pedestrian entrance to the Old Court site is located in Trinity Lane (Photograph 1). Access is via a single manual gate that opens away from you (push). The opening width of the gate is 112cm although it can be opened up fully to make it even wider. After the gate there is a level flagstone paved path which leads to the Porters’ Lodge (Photograph 2). Before you reach the Porters’ Lodge there is another manual gateway which has temporary ramps over the threshold step to stop people tripping (Photograph 3). The width of the gate opening is 60cm but porters' will open it up fully thereby removing the threshold step. When fully opened the width is 132cm. There is an intercom system to contact the porters' at a height of 120cm. After the second gate the entrance to the Porters’ Lodge is located immediately to the left. In order to continue straight ahead into Old Court there is another gate in the passage (Photograph 4). This gate is automatic and is activated by key card or remotely by the porters'. The width of the gateway opening is 170cm and the height of the card reader is 107cm.
    • There is also pedestrian access to Old Court, for key card holders, from the rear of the site in Queen’s Road, opposite the Memorial Court site (Photograph 5). Access is via a heavy manual gate that opens away from you (push). The width of the gate opening is 110cm and the height of the card reader is 132cm. There is also an intercom system at a height of 151cm. The paths leading to this entrance are uneven or sloped in places. The rear entrance gives access to The Avenue walkway (Photograph 6) from where the Fellows Garden can normally be accessed (it was closed for construction works at the time of the survey).
  • Getting Around the College Site View
    • Old Court itself has level paths running around the edges and through the centre (Photographs 7 and 8). The paths have a flagstone paving surface and are quite wide (120cm – 150cm). The footpaths are slightly uneven in places. At the time of the survey there was a marquee on the grass on the left hand side as you enter from the Porters' Lodge passageway. There were several wooden ramps for access to and around the marquee which had a slight upwards gradient (Photograph 9). The central path was narrowed to 100cm by the positioning of the marquee and there was an electric cable cover over the path (Photograph 10).
    • At the rear of Old Court there is a passageway leading out to the gardens and the River Cam. In the passageway there is an open gate with a width of 118cm (Photograph 11). The gate does have a card reader for times when it is closed. The height of the card reader is 133cm. There is then a straight path, with a flagstone paving surface, leading to a footbridge over the River Cam (Photograph 12). The footbridge has steep upwards then downwards gradients over it (Photographs 13 and 14).
    • After the footbridge there is another open gateway (Photograph 15). The width of this gateway is 100cm and there are short steep ramps leading up to and down (Photograph 16) from the threshold. Alternatively, there are additional open gateways to either side with a step over the threshold. Beyond this gateway is The Avenue walkway which is level and runs past the Fellows Garden to the entrance at the rear of the site, in Queen’s Road, opposite the Memorial Court site.
  • Additional College Site Information View
    • The entrance to Scholars' Garden is located on the Old Court side of the footbridge over the river. Access is via an open gateway (Photograph 17) with 4 unmarked steps. The steps have a handrail on the left (Photograph 18). Once inside the garden there are 2 gravel paths (Photographs 19 and 20) with 3 steps at the intersection (Photograph 21).
    • Many of the buildings at Old Court have stepped access into and around them. Due to the age of the buildings the staircases do vary in materials and layout.
    • There is not much directional signage around the site which means those unfamiliar with the layout might need an escort or a map to reference.
  • AccessAble Related Links View

Useful Information

Getting To (Porters' Lodge)

  • Location View
    • The Porters' Lodge is located to the east of Old Court.
    • The Porters' Lodge can be accessed via the Main Pedestrian Entrance on Trinity Lane, as well as by the Queen's Road Pedestrian Entrance via the Courtyard.
    • There is not wayfinding signage along the route to the Porters' Lodge.
    • Clare College - Old Court link (new tab) - click here.

Outside Access (Main Entrance)

  • Entrance View
    • This information is for the entrance located beyond the access gates from Trinity Lane.
    • The entrance area/door is not clearly signed.
    • There is ramped/sloped access at this entrance.
    • There is a canopy or recess which provides weather protection at this entrance.
    • There are no doors at this entrance.
    • The width of the door opening is 83cm.
    • There is a second set of doors.
    • The door(s) open(s) automatically.
    • The door(s) is/are single width.
    • The width of the door opening is 96cm.
    • There is a 104cm key card reader at the second door. This is rarely required as the door is generally kept unlocked.
  • Ramp/Slope View
    • The ramp/slope is located between the initial opening and the second door.
    • The gradient of the ramp/slope is slight.
    • The ramp/slope is permanent.
    • There is not a level landing at the top of the ramp/slope.
    • The width of the ramp/slope is 144cm (4ft 9in).
    • The lighting levels at the ramp/slope are moderate to good.

Outside Access (Courtyard Entrance)

  • Entrance View
    • This information is for the entrance located at the east side of the Courtyard.
    • The entrance area/door is not clearly signed.
    • There is stepped access at this entrance.
    • There is a canopy or recess which provides weather protection at this entrance.
    • There are no doors at this entrance.
    • The width of the door opening is 83cm.
    • There is a second set of doors.
    • The door(s) open(s) both ways.
    • The door(s) is/are single width.
    • The door(s) is/are heavy.
    • The width of the door opening is 86cm.
  • Step(s) View
    • The step(s) is/are located in the threshold of the initial opening.
    • There is/are 1 step(s).
    • The step(s) is/are not clearly marked.
    • The height of the step(s) is/are not between 15cm and 18cm.
    • The height of the step(s) is/are 7cm.
    • There is not a/are not handrail(s) at the step(s).
  • Comments View
    • The step has been worn down over time.
    • The centre of the step is at a height of 7cm.

Outside Access (Step-Free Access To/From Courtyard)

  • Entrance View
    • This information is for the entrance located beneath the archway leading to the courtyard, between the Porters' Lodge Entrances.
    • The entrance area/door is not clearly signed.
    • There is step-free access at this entrance.
    • There is a canopy or recess which provides weather protection at this entrance.
    • The entrance door(s) does not/do not contrast visually with its immediate surroundings.
    • A key card is required for access at this entrance.
    • The height of the key card reader is 107cm.
    • The main door(s) open(s) away from you (push).
    • The door(s) is/are single width.
    • The door(s) is/are heavy.
    • The width of the door opening is 170cm.
    • This gate is used to bypass the step at the Porters' Lodge entrance on the courtyard side. Visitors, Staff and Students would normally have to go through the Porters' Lodge to access/exit the site.

Reception (Porters' Lodge)

  • Reception View
    • The reception point is located immediately beyond the entrances.
    • The reception area/desk is clearly visible from the entrance.
    • There is step-free access to the reception point.
    • There is a clear unobstructed route to the reception point.
    • There are windows, TVs, glazed screens or mirrors at/behind the reception point which could adversely affect the ability of someone to lip read.
    • The reception counter is not placed in front of a background which is patterned.
    • The lighting levels at the reception point are moderate to good.
    • The height of the reception counter is 136cm .
    • There is sufficient space to write or sign documents on the counter.
    • There is a lowered section of the counter.
    • The height of the lowered section at the counter is 79cm.
    • There is sufficient space to write or sign documents on the lowered section of the counter.
    • There is not a clear knee recess beneath the counter.
    • The counter is staffed.
    • There is a hearing assistance system at the reception point.
    • The type of system is a fixed loop.
    • There is no wayfinding signage available at/close to the reception.
    • The type of flooring in the reception area is carpet and wood.
  • Reception Waiting Area View
    • There is a waiting area close to the reception point.
    • Access to the waiting area is unobstructed.
    • There is bench seating only.
    • There is sufficient space for a wheelchair user to use the waiting area.

Accessible Toilet(s)

  • There is not an/are not accessible toilet(s) available.

Standard Toilet(s)

  • Standard toilet facilities are not available.