Ages ago I promised pictures from my new room. Well, yesterday I was in college and did my best. It was a beautiful day, which was lovely if you were there, but problematic for cack-handed photographers like me with the sun coming from all the wrong directions. Anyhow, I’m in a crescent-shaped court on the far side of college, that you reach by going through a rather elegant archway. If you go through and look backwards, this is what you see.
Entry Arch
The courtyard you are looking into is one of the main thoroughfares of college. To the left (out of shot) is the forecourt porter’s lodge, where the fellows collect their post, and alongside it, the chapel. Opposite, on the right (out of shot), is the college library. I did try to take photos of these parts of the building as they are all rather gorgeous, but they are also huge and refused to accommodate themselves to my viewfinder. The windows of my room look into this courtyard, and I can see it’s going to be difficult to get anything done with so much people watching on offer.
Anyway, here’s the entrance to my new staircase.
This part of college has recently been refurbished, and you can see that the gardens are unfinished. Well, there’s just two big expanses of earth at present, but hopefully the gardeners will get to work in the autumn.
So, you head up the stairs and for once, I’m not at the top of the building but only on the first floor. Now, I’m really sorry about this shot, but my room is dark-paneled, as I’ve mentioned, and the sun was streaming in, and it was difficult to get the camera to handle the contrast (that’s my excuse).
My New College Room
There’s another armchair to the right, with a coffee table between it and the sofa. And behind me is the fireplace with the two cylindrical lights above and either side. This was impossible to get a decent shot of, so you’ll have to imagine it. My friend who lived in the room a while back said it was like living in a cigar box, but I rather like my wood-paneled womb. And if I can get hold of a maintenance man to put my pictures up, then those walls are going to look a lot better.
I’m very grateful for all the suggestions from the previous post for room cleansing, and I will certainly enact a little ritual, particularly if I can find a way to disable the smoke alarms…. My son goes back to school next week, and I’ll be returning to work. If any of you out there are having difficulties with your essay-writing skills, or fancy a little chat about French literature, drop me an email and we’ll fix a time to meet – only kidding! Shame you can’t come over for tea, though.
Tales from the Reading Room 
It’s so nice to finally see your College. Love the archway and your office looks suitably studious (but also comfortable – nice couch). Good to see that even sophisticated college types have a row of Lever-Arch files on their bookshelf. If I’m ever visiting Cambridge I will definitely make a plan to pop in for some tea.
It’s very nice to see your pictures! I can see that your room would feel warm and comforting and womb-like. That sounds perfect for the job you do! I hope your return to work goes well.
Oh, it’s just beautiful. I so wish I could stop in for tea and chat in person! What a lovely space to call your own…I am sure it will inspire even more greatness from you, if that is even possible!
Wow! That’s quite a room. I wish my office looked like that. But I probably wouldn’t get much done if it was that cozy.
Your room looks so comfy and inviting. So from your window do you look out onto the garden? Hope all is going well with the new semester!
I love the photo of the archway with the sun spilling through–it makes me want to go out the other side and see what’s there! You have a great room–the paneling is nice actually. It looks very cozy and welcoming. Just think in a week that courtyard will be filled with students–I always look forward to this time of year!
Wonderful photos! Thanks for sharing them! I think your room looks very inviting and I wish I could pop over this afternoon for a chat about my term paper and a cup of tea to ease the stress of the looming deadline 🙂
A cup of tea and a bit of bookchat would be so lovely in your “wood-paneled womb.” A walk through the archway & a view of the library would be lovely. Just a glimpse of Cambridge…well, you get the idea. Thanks for sharing. Hope the year begins well for both you and your son!
Cursed or not, I like the look of your room! Love the wood paneling, the comfy-looking sofa and chair, and the light coming in the window. It looks like a lovely place for that cup of tea 🙂
It is a lovely room. Such is the beauty of working for an old University. And, look you can’t be that bad at taking photos if you understand about things like the sun and angles. I just snap away and hope for the best. Why is it that Universities always decide to do maintenance during the summer just when we members of staff could enjoy the ground peacefully. We’ve had the entire central campus dug up for the past three months. Mind you, they were replacing a service tunnel that had had nothing done to it for over a century. It could have been fairly bleak had it collapsed in the middle of term.
Great room and I love people watching too. Enjoy!
This looks like a lovely, warm sanctuary of a room, especially on those dark and dreary days of winter when it will be nice to be encased in this quiet spot. I would be distracted by that window too, I’m afraid…especially if there are interesting people going by.
I do wish I could stop by for tea and a chat!
I so heart this room – I don’t care if it has an evil witch’s curse on it, I’d buy it off of you in a minute, or move in with you until you moved out 😉
Pete – is there another way to file? I put all the stuff I couldn’t bear to leave behind in several new files and probably won’t open them for another five years… Looking forward to your visit!
Dorothy – thank you! You’ve already begun, yes? My sympathies – it’s always hard to start (or at least I find it so) at the end of a long summer break. Hope your students are keen and efficient and lively.
Courtney – you are really too kind! I’m very lucky to have a room of my own and such a nice view, and yes, I wish you could visit too!
Bluestocking – I tell you, I’m going to get so little done with that prospect over the heart of college. So I expect I’ll alternate that with naps on the sofa… 😉
iliana – my room actually looks onto the courtyard you can see through the archway. Lots of opportunity for people watching… And thank you – I’m settling in and do think it’s cosy.
Danielle – I am going to get so little done, watching what’s happening outside my window! 🙂 And thank you, I think the paneling is quite nice, too. It wasn’t what I was expecting, but I’ve quickly grown accustomed to it. Do you have an interesting view out of the library windows?
Stefanie – lol! I wish you could too. Although you know we’d just end up talking about what we’re reading and adding to each other’s tbr piles! 🙂
ds – thank you, you are so kind! It would be great to see you in Cambridge – well, you never know what will happen.
Gentle Reader – aha, now I know how to lift the curse, it will be perfect, right? It is a very cosy space, and ideal for tea and gossip. Just drop by when you can. 🙂
Ann – lol! yes, it wouldn’t have been fun to have it collapse mid-term. All the maintenance gets done during the summer here, also. Usually some part of college is swathed in scaffolding, or blocked off. My last room was modern, and in a building that’s recognised to be less than beautiful. One thing I do not miss is the commentary of the chauffered punts going past ‘And now we are passing the most monstrously ugly building…’ ‘On your right is the building widely recognised as the most hideous…’ You get the picture.
Lilian – thank you!
Becca – aww it would be so lovely to see you. It is very cosy and I’m looking forward to being in it on cold and frosty days. The heating is a bit capricious around college, you never quite know if you will boil or shiver, but I’m hoping it’ll be a warmer room than I’ve had up until now.
Aimee – lol! Shall I expect to see you ensconsed on my sofa when I get in next week? 🙂
Thanks for sharing your photos–it’s a treat to get a peek at your new room. It looks very cozy, and matches up perfectly with my fantasy visions of academic life at such an august institution! Count me among those who would love to stop by for tea. It’s the first morning of a new term here today, and I’m moving into a new office myself (a 2-year relocation while our building is being renovated). I was a bit anxious about it earlier in the summer, but having flung out so much detritus whilst packing, I’m feeling rather liberated by the process now, like this could be the start of a new, streamlined, organized working life.
LOVELY! When I come to visit, may I stay there and engage in lots of people watching?
I don’t know how on earth I managed to miss this… but that’s CRUEL of you, Litlove, inviting us to your cosy sanctuary when you know we can’t come! I’d love to fling myself onto that couch, stare at the fire, sip my tea and annoy you.