Charter

Summary

George the Third, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith and so forth. To all to whom these presents shall come, greeting:

Will of the Founder

Whereas Sir George Downing, late of Gamlingay Park in the county of Cambridge, Bart., deceased, by his last will and testament, bearing date on or about the 20th day of December, which was in the year of our Lord 1717, gave and devised all and singular his manors, lands, tenements, and hereditaments, both freehold and copyhold, as well as leasehold for years, in the several counties of Cambridge, Bedford, and Suffolk and elsewhere, with their appurtenances, unto certain trustees therein named, all of whom afterwards died in the lifetime of the said testator; to hold all such of the said manors, lands, tenements, and hereditaments, whereof the said testator was seised of any estate of inheritance or freehold, unto the said trustees and their heirs, to certain uses, which have since determined, or by subsequent events become incapable of taking effect, and from and after the determination thereof and subject thereto, to the use and behoof of the said trustees and their heirs, in trust, that they should, as soon as might be, by, with, and out of the rents, issues, and profits of the premises, buy and purchase the inheritance and fee simple of some piece of ground, lying and being within the town of Cambridge, proper and convenient for the erecting and building a college;