Cambridge Easter egg
Hobson's Conduit, Cambridge, and the story of Hobson's choice
Why is there water running along the gutters?
The story
Walk down Trumpington Street and you'll notice water running in deep stone channels along both sides. This is Hobson's Conduit.
It was built in the early 1600s to bring clean spring water into town from Nine Wells, south of the city.
It's named after Thomas Hobson, a carrier who ran goods and horses between Cambridge and London. Customers had to take the horse nearest the door or none at all.
That rule gave us the phrase Hobson's choice. When he died in 1631, the young poet John Milton, then a Cambridge student, wrote two poems about him.
Look out for
The deep stone gutters with running water on both sides of Trumpington Street.
Questions
What is the water in the gutters on Trumpington Street?
Where does the phrase Hobson's choice come from?
Where to find it
Trumpington Street, Cambridge
Free to see from the street, at any time.
Good to know
Watch your step, as the channels are deeper than they look. Follow them south and you'll pass the Fitzwilliam Museum on your way to the Botanic Garden.
Nearby with your City Pass
- The Fitzwilliam Museum, entry to the current paid exhibition (30-minute timed entry)
- Fitzbillies, free Chelsea bun with any hot drink
- University Botanic Garden, garden and glasshouse entry
More Easter eggs nearby
- The Corpus Clock, about 4 minutes' walk
- Cambridgeshire's oldest building, about 4 minutes' walk
- The Mathematical Bridge myth, about 5 minutes' walk
Let the app find them for you
The City Pass app tells you when you walk past an Easter egg. £50 for the day, with entry to 9 places included.