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Laundress Green

Laundress Green
About

Laundress Green is a tranquil wedge of common land in the heart of Cambridge, just south of Silver Street beside the River Cam. Once a working space for the city’s washerwomen, it served as a drying ground for laundry from nearby colleges and homes, its name a reminder of this industrious past. In Victorian and Edwardian times, the green would be alive with lines of washing fluttering in the breeze, and carpets beaten clean in the spring sunshine. Today, it offers a peaceful escape where cattle graze alongside students, locals, and visitors. Popular for picnics, sunbathing, and watching novice punters navigate the river, it also forms part of the scenic route toward Grantchester’s meadows. Framed by the historic Mill pub and the footbridge to Coe Fen, Laundress Green blends Cambridge’s rural charm with its vibrant city life, preserving a sense of continuity between its working heritage and its role as a beloved leisure spot.

Cambridge United Kingdom
Location

Laundress Green is a tranquil triangular green space set along the River Cam near the heart of Cambridge, just off Silver Street and adjacent to Granta Place. This peaceful patch of grass, once used for drying laundry by Cambridge college washerwomen, is now a scenic spot for picnicking, riverside relaxation, and watching punts glide by. The area is surrounded by Cambridge’s ancient willows and is home to grazing cattle in the summer months, creating a delightful balance between city and countryside. Nearby, visitors can enjoy Lammas Land and Sheep’s Green for more open parkland, stroll over Silver Street Bridge for views of the water, or visit The Mill and The Anchor pubs positioned on the riverbanks. A short walk east brings you to Queen’s College and its famous Mathematical Bridge, while the University Botanic Garden and The Backs are within easy reach, anchoring Laundress Green as a serene and central oasis close to many Cambridge highlights.

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