Cambridge is a city steeped in history and intrigue.
Known for its academic prestige and it's punting scenes, outsiders of the city might think that's all its got to offer the world.
But we know there is so much more than meets the eye.
From footie roots to abnormally large cats, Dr Who and everything in between - there is a whole world of weird and wacky things going on in Cambridge, you might not know about.
So to fuel your thirst for knowledge about the place, which we call home, we've come up with a list of seven weird and wonderful facts about our city.
Scroll on to have your mind BLOWN.
1. Footie fans – this one's for you
Cambridge is home to one of the oldest universities in the world, but it could also be called the birthplace of football as we know it. The “Cambridge Rules” were drawn up at the University in 1863, and influenced the Football Association’s original rules.
For instance, they banned carrying the ball as well as “hacking” (kicking in the shins) for the first time. The rule that “no player is allowed to loiter between the ball and the adversaries’ goal” formalised the offside rule.
2. Archaic University rules
The University of Cambridge is over 800 years old, and some of its rules reflect that. For instance, students have to “keep the term”, which means that they have to stay within a three-mile radius of Great St. Mary’s Church for 59 nights each term. At least they don’t have to wear gowns all the time any more; that rule ended in 1965.
3. What’s that sculpture?
While walking through Market Square, you may have noticed the odd-looking statue outside the GuildHall. The statue, which features brightly coloured shapes and a top hat with mice and a white cat perched on top, is, in fact, a memorial to Walter ‘Snowy’ Farr.
Snowy, who died in 2007, was renowned for his eccentricities, which included putting live mice into his mouth and dressing up in military uniform. He also received an MBE for raising money for charities dedicated to helping the blind. So next time you walk past the statue, remember the eccentric and kind-hearted man it commemorates.
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4. Links with China
The China-UK Friendship Garden, which features part of a poem called Second Farewell to Cambridge by Xu Zhimo, attracts many Chinese tourists to the city and strengthens links to China. The garden, which is at the back of King’s College, features a granite stone with the first and last lines of the poem, as well as willow trees, marking Xu’s time at Cambridge as a graduate student.
5. Doctor Who
In 1979, a Doctor Who story written by Douglas Adams, Cambridge graduate and author of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, was filmed in Cambridge, but never aired as a result of studio strikes. However, Cambridge did appear briefly on the hit show for the 20th-anniversary story, when the Doctor (Tom Baker) was filmed punting down the Cam.
6. Furry friends
You’ve probably heard the rumour about Lord Byron keeping a pet bear at Trinity College, where dogs were not allowed. However, have you heard about the “very large cat” at Selwyn College? YoYo, a rescued basset hound, belongs to the Master of the college, where dogs are technically banned.
To get around the rule, the college’s Council decided that YoYo could qualify as a “very large cat”. Students were entirely on board, and love the novelty of seeing a “cat” being walked around Cambridge.
7. Have you ever tried to eat a clock? It’s time-consuming
Love it or hate it, you’ve definitely noticed the Corpus Clock at the end of King’s Parade. It attracts hordes of tourists who cram into the road to get a picture of the famous landmark.
But beware! The clock speeds up, slows down, and even stops to represent the relativity of time. Don’t worry, though – it tells the correct time to a hundredth of a second every fifth minute.
