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Route from Old Court Paving to JCR/O Staircase and through to Sidgwick Site

Selwyn College, Grange Road, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB3 9DQ

Access Guide

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Getting To and Around Selwyn College

  • Arriving By Car or Bike View
    • Selwyn College is located to the west of Cambridge city centre. The vehicle entrance to the College is located in Grange Road. There are various Park and Ride schemes for people who would prefer to not drive into central Cambridge.
    • Students are generally not permitted to use cars in the immediate locality unless given permission based on specific requirements. The main parking area is located off Grange Road. There is also a car park outside the main entrance which is reserved for Fellows. Students with disabilities may be able to arrange for a parking permit with the College. Visitors with disabilities are advised to contact the College in advance and a parking space will be reserved.
    • Cycling is a popular form of transport in Cambridge. The city is relatively flat and there is an extensive network of cycle routes. At Selwyn College there are many sheltered cycle stands available next to the Old Library, the Ramsey Murray Gate, and at the rear of Cripps Court. There are also a number of unsheltered cycle stands next to the main entrance and the hostels.
    • For more information on getting to Selwyn 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
    • The main pedestrian entrance to the College site is located in Grange Road. Access is via a double pedestrian gate (photograph 1). This entrance has one gate which may be locked at specific times, and another permanently held open with an opening width of 149cm. There is a second set of double gates at this entrance, one gate is locked, the other is permanently held open and has an opening width of 103cm (photograph 2).
    • Pedestrians can also access the site via the Ramsey Murray Gate which is a pedestrian entrance situated in West Road. This gate is for key holders only (photograph 3). The gate opens away from you (push), may be difficult for some users to open, and has an opening width of 120cm. The height of the key lock is 86cm.
      There are similar gates which key holders can access located in Grange Road giving access to Ann's Court (photograph 4) and the cycle sheds (photograph 5), in Sidgwick Avenue giving access to Old Court (photograph 6), and within the grounds of the Sidgwick Site giving access to the Gardens (photograph 7).
    • The main pedestrian access to Cripps Court is located in Grange Road. This access is via a single pedestrian gate (photograph 8). The gate has a locked extension leaf and opens automatically away from you. The gate opening width is 90cm. The gate is unlocked by key card or key. The height of the key card reader is 100cm. The height of the key lock is 112cm.
  • Getting Around the College Site View
    • If you have accessed the College site by vehicle and parked in the main car park or Ann's Court car park there is step-free access to the main pedestrian entrance. There are bollards on the path leading from the main car park to the main pedestrian entrance which reduces the width of the path to 135cm (photographs 9 and 10).
      If you have entered the grounds via the main pedestrian entrance, you will have direct access to the network of paths around external areas of the Selwyn College site. The site is mostly level with wide paths (150cm+), but path surfaces do vary. The paths that run around the large central grass area of Old Court have a flagstone paving surface which may be uneven in places (photographs 11-14). Other areas have surfaced paths of various types such as flagstone paving, tarmac, and loose gravel (photographs 15-18).
    • There is stepped access to the Lower Lawn and Gardens. The steps have a partial handrail on the right as you face the 6 steps (photographs 19 and 20). There are alternative steps to access the Gardens with handrails on both sides (photograph 21). The external parts of the site are otherwise step-free except for access into buildings.
    • There is step-free access throughout Cripps Court. The surface of the path is concrete paving tiles and may be uneven in some areas (photograph 22).
  • Additional College Site Information View
    • Some of the buildings at Selwyn College have stepped access into and around them (photographs 23-27). Due to the age of the buildings the staircases do vary in materials and layout. The height and depths of steps are not uniform, and neither is lighting, handrail provision/type or step markings. There are some buildings which have been adapted to make them step-free, including access ramps to bypass external steps (photographs 24-28) and internal lifts to access other floors. Please see our Detailed Access Guides for further information on access to buildings.
    • There is directional signage around Old Court (photograph 29) and in the centre of the college between Old Court and St Anne's Court (photograph 30) additionally maps are available online and from the porter's lodge to aid getting around the college. Accessible toilet facilities are located within the bar toilets, in the lobby to the Chadwick Room, in the corridor outside the Fellows’ Parlour, on the ground floor of B staircase, in the Diamond and College Gym, and on the ground floor of Staircase J, close to the MCR.

Useful Information

Site/Campus Car Park (Main Car Park)

  • Car Park View
    • The car park is located in Grange Road.
    • The nearest building(s) to this car park is/are the Porters' Lodge and Old Court.
    • The car park type is open air/surface.
    • The car park does not have a height restriction barrier.
    • The car park surface is tarmac.
    • Designated Blue Badge parking bays are not available.
  • Charges and Restrictions View
    • This car park can be used by staff, visitors and student permit holders.
  • Drop Off Point View
    • There is not a designated drop off point in this car park.
  • Car Park Access View
    • There is step free access from this car park.
    • Buildings are not clearly signposted from this car park.
    • There is not a campus map available within the car park.
  • Comments View
    • Accessible parking can be reserved with advance notice.
    • Parking in this car park is strictly by prior arrangement.

Site/Campus Car Park (Ann's Court Car Park)

  • Car Park View
    • The car park is located in Grange Road.
    • The nearest building(s) to this car park is/are Ann's Court.
    • The car park type is open air/surface.
    • The car park does not have a height restriction barrier.
    • The car park surface is loose chippings.
    • Designated Blue Badge parking bays are not available.
  • Charges and Restrictions View
    • This car park can be used by staff, visitors and student permit holders.
  • Drop Off Point View
    • There is not a designated drop off point in this car park.
  • Car Park Access View
    • There is step free access from this car park.
    • Buildings are not clearly signposted from this car park.
    • There is not a campus map available within the car park.
  • Comments View
    • Accessible parking can be reserved with advance notice.
    • Parking in this car park is strictly by prior arrangement.

Site/Campus Car Park (Fellows' Car Park)

  • Car Park View
    • The car park is located in Grange Road.
    • The nearest building(s) to this car park is/are the Porters' Lodge and Old Court.
    • The car park type is open air/surface.
    • The car park does not have a height restriction barrier.
    • The car park surface is tarmac.
    • Designated Blue Badge parking bays are not available.
  • Drop Off Point View
    • There is not a designated drop off point in this car park.
  • Car Park Access View
    • There is step free access from this car park.
    • Buildings are not clearly signposted from this car park.
    • There is not a campus map available within the car park.
  • Comments View
    • Parking is for Fellows' and visitors with mobility impairments only.
    • Parking in this car park for visitors is strictly by prior arrangement.

Route Information

Old Court to E Stairs

  • Starting from the Dining Hall entrance in Old Court head around Old Court going past the entrance to the Chapel.
  • Once you reach the north side of the Court turn left and head to staircase E, a distance of approximately 70 metres.
  • The surface of Old Court is block paving and uneven in some places.

E Staircase to the Junior Common Room - JCR

  • The distance from E Staircase to the JCR is approximately 90 metres.
  • To access E Staircase there is a steep slope with no handrails and a width of 120cm (photograph 1).
  • At the top of the slope are the entrance doors for E Staircase which are permanently held open towards you with a width of 112cm (photograph 2).
  • There is clear signage next to the doorway (photograph 3).
  • Head through E Staircase and directly ahead of you there will be the exit to E Staircase on the other side of the building (photograph 4).
  • This exit consists of a permanently held open door with a width of 84cm.
  • Immediately beyond the entrance is a 150cm x 150cm turning space (photograph 5).
  • Turn left and head down the steep ramp which has a block paved surface. The ramp has a handrail on the left from the top of the ramp to halfway down and to the right of the ramp from the middle to the bottom (photographs 6 and 7)
  • At the bottom of the ramp turn right and head to the path leading north to the JCR.
  • Turn left and continue along the path for approximately 45 metres until you reach the entrance to the JCR (photograph 8).
  • Along the path there is clear directional signage the Christopher Dobson Building, Bartlam Library, Quarry Whitehouse Auditorium, Old Library, Lower Gardens and Sidgewick Gate (photograph 9).
  • Continue going forward in order to access Ann's Court (photograph 10).

JCR to Gardens

  • Turn around 180 degrees and head back along the path for approximately 45 metres (photographs 1 and 2).
  • The surface of the path is blocked paving.
  • After approximately 45 metres turn left at the crossroads here you will find clear directional signage around the college (photographs 3 and 4).
  • After this the path surface is compacted gravel.
  • After approximately 30 metres you will come to the entrance for the Gardens, with a width of the path at 200cm (photographs 5, 6, 7 and 8).

Gardens to Sidgwick Site

  • The surface of the path through the Gardens to Sidgwick Site is compacted gravel.
  • There are uneven very slight slopes along the path.
  • The length of the path is approximately 90 metres.
  • The width of the path is reduced to approximately 140cm.

Outside Access (Gate to The Sidgwick Site)

  • Entrance View
    • This information is for the entrance located off Selwyn College Gardens.
    • This entrance gives access to the Sidgwick Site.
    • The entrance area/door is not clearly signed.
    • There is step-free access at this entrance.
    • There is not a canopy or recess which provides weather protection at this entrance.
    • The entrance door(s) does/do contrast visually with its immediate surroundings.
    • The main door(s) open(s) towards you (pull).
    • The door(s) is/are single width.
    • The door(s) is/are heavy.
    • The width of the door opening is 110cm.