Jesus Green
A riverside park north of Jesus College, with a 1920s-style lido and an annual beer festival.
Jesus Green is a park on the north side of central Cambridge, lying north of Jesus College. The River Cam forms its northern boundary, with Chesterton Road on the far bank, and Jesus Ditch runs along its southern edge. To the east, across Victoria Avenue, lies Midsummer Common.
From common to park
The green and Midsummer Common were one piece of land until 1890, when Victoria Avenue was built through them. Since then Jesus Green has been kept as a park, and is no longer managed for grazing.
What is here
The lido beside the river is one of the few survivors of the many open-air pools built around England in the 1920s. At 100 yards (91 metres), it is described as among the longest outdoor pools in Europe. At the north-eastern corner, next to Victoria Avenue Bridge, the green meets Jesus Lock and its footbridge. A beer festival has been held on the green each May since 2001.
Practical notes
On the river by the green, powered craft are not allowed upstream of the La Mimosa pub between 1 April and 30 September; during those months only manually propelled boats, including many traditional punts, can use the middle and upper river. Christ's Pieces and Parker's Piece lie further south.
Nearby
Within a few minutes' walk
