The Roof-Climber's Guide to Trinity, By Geoffrey Winthrop-Young
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Geoffrey Winthrop-Young was a poet and climber who wrote several books on mountaineering. This, his first published book, appearing anonymously in 1901, is the first written record of stegophily – climbing the outside of buildings. (Yes, I had to look it up, too). He describes in detail four climbing routes to the roof of Trinity College, Cambridge, as well as to the library, the chapel and the Great Gate. The style is "parodied alpinism" ("the slant roof is ascended over the dormer (C) until near the summit of the gable, when the hand is able to grasp with a stretch the edge of an embrasure above...") but there are also descriptive passages of great charm: "the distant towers of the Great, New and Cloister Courts looming against the dark sky, lit by the flickering lamps far below".
It's a slight book. Even with illustrations, notes, two appendices and chapter- heading quotations from Horace, Chaucer, Tennyson et al, it comes out at just 74 pages. But it's an enjoyable jeu d'esprit and leaves one feeling admiration for the daring of Winthrop-Young and his fellow climbers.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments