The Senate House of the University of Cambridge is now used mainly for degree ceremonies. It was formerly also used for meetings of the Council of the Senate.
The building, which is situated in the centre of the city between King's and Gonville and Caius Colleges, was designed by architect James Gibbs, based to an unclear extent on designs by the gentleman-architect Sir James Burrough, and built in 1722–1730 by Gibbs in a neo-classical style using Portland stone. The ceremony to lay the first stone was performed by Thomas Crosse, then Vice-Chancellor, on June 22, 1722. The site was previously used for houses, which were purchased by an Act of Parliament, dated June 11, 1720. It was officially opened in July 1730, although the western end was not completed until 1768.
The Senate House was originally intended to be one side of a quadrangle, however the rest of the structure was never completed. It forms part of the Old Schools Site. It is a Grade I listed building.
The Senate House is now mainly used for the degree ceremonies of the University of Cambridge. It was also formerly used for meetings of the University's Council of the Senate.
Graduates receiving an undergraduate degree wear the academic dress that they were entitled to before graduating: for example, most students becoming Bachelors of Arts wear undergraduate gowns and not BA gowns. Graduates are presented in the Senate House college by college, in order of foundation or recognition by the university, except for the royal colleges.
A battered Austin Seven van was found on the apex of the Senate House roof on the morning of 8 June 1958. The van had been placed there the night before by a party of engineering students from Gonville & Caius College. They found the derelict Austin Seven in Harston and towed it into Cambridge. They removed the engine and rear axle to make it light enough to winch up to the roof, and hauled it up using cables and scaffolding they'd stolen from King's College. It took the University a week to get the van down and the prank received lots of media attention at the time.
The Senate House by James Gibbs. The West end being finally completed, in stone by James Essex in 1767-8. Portland stone ashlar. The South front has 9 bays, the central 3 flanked by fluted attached Corinthian columns with a pedimented entablature and vases. The windows have moulded architraves and alternate straight and curved pediments, The East end has a 3 bay pedimented centrepiece. The North front is as the South with no centrepiece, the West front is also similar. The interior has a continuous gallery, Roman Doric pilasters and complete panelling below, the woodwork by James Essex senior. Enriched plasterwork above by Artari and Bagutti. Marble pavement by Christopher Cass. 2 full length marble statues; the 6th Duke of Somerset by Rysbrack 1756, Pitt the younger by Nollekens 1812.