Downing College
Preserved but no longer current.
A college at Cambridge, founded by the will of Sir George Downing (c. 1684-1749) (a grandson of the Sir George of Downing Street, <?.v.). The college was chartered in 1800, after much litigation. He also founded the chair occupied by the Downing Professor, the Professor of the Laws of England at Cambridge.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Downing College” mean?
A college at Cambridge, founded by the will of Sir George Downing (c. 1684-1749) (a grandson of the Sir George of Downing Street, <?.v.). The college was chartered in 1800, after much litigation. He also founded the chair occupied by the Downing Professor, the Professor of the Laws of England at Cambridge.
Is “Downing College” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.