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Clare College was founded in 1326 and endowed a few years later by Elizabeth de Clare, making it the second oldest surviving college at the University of Cambridge after Peterhouse. After the Lady Clare, a granddaughter of King Edward I of England, endowed it, the foundation was known as Clare Hall up until 1856, when it changed its name to Clare College. (A new Clare Hall was founded by Clare as a postgraduate institution in 1966). Clare is famous for its chapel choir and also for its gardens, which form part of what is known as the Backs (essentially the rear part of colleges which are next to the River Cam). The current Master is Anthony (Tony) J Badger, Paul Mellon Professor of American History.

Clare's 'Old Court', which frames King's College Chapel as the left border of one of the most celebrated architectural vistas in England, was built between 1638 and 1715, with a long interruption for the English Civil War. The period spans the arrival of true classicismClassicism in the arts, refers generally to a high regard for classical antiquity as setting standards for taste which the classicist seeks to emulate. Classicism is usually contrasted with romanticism; the art of classicism typically seeks to be formal, into the mainstream of British architectureArchitecture is the art and science of designing buildings. A wider definition would include within its scope the design of the total built environment, from the macrolevel of town planning, urban design, and landscape architecture to the microlevel of fu. Its progress can be traced in the marked differences between the oldest wing (the north), which still has vaulting and other features in the unbroken tradition of English GothicGothic architecture characterizes any of the styles of European architecture, particularly associated with cathedrals and other churches, in use throughout Europe during the high and late medieval period, from the 12th century onwards. It was succeeded by, and the final southern block, which shows a fully articulated classic style.

Clare has a much-photographed bridge over the river which has fourteen stone balls decorating it. In actual fact, one of the balls has a missing section. A number of apocryphal stories circulate concerning this - the one most commonly cited by members of college is that the original builder of the bridge was not paid the full amount for his work and so removed the segment to balance the difference in payment.

A popular sport amongst Clare students is 'pole-catching', in which the student stands on Clare bridge and attempts to grab puntCam A punt is a flat-bottomed boat, typically used in small rivers and canals. It is propelled by pushing the river bed with a long pole. Punting is a popular tourist and leisure activity of the rivers of the university towns of Oxford and Cambridge, Engl poles from the hands of unsuspecting tourists.

Clare is known as one of the most musical colleges in Cambridge. Most of its students play at least one instrument, and its orchestra and choir attract some of the best young musicians in the country. It is the traditional destination of most of the students coming up to Cambridge from Chetham's School of MusicChetham's School of Music familiarly known as "Chet's", is a specialist music school in Manchester. It is well-known in the UK for producing many of the country's professional musicians. It was established in 1969 at the site of Chetham's Hospital, an orp. It holds popular jazzFor other article subjects named Jazz see jazz (disambiguation). Jazz is a musical art form characterized by blue notes, syncopation, swing, call and response, polyrhythms, and improvisation. It has been called the first original art form to develop in th and drum'n'bass nights in its cellars. The Scratch Perverts used to DJ regularly.

Clare is a very liberal college. The Socialist Worker society meets there, and Clare students have previously been arrested for various direct action protests. A liberal attitude is taken during jazz and comedy nights. Its student paper, Clareification, is a filled with satirical articles mocking Cambridge traditions, reports on silly student antics, and college gossip in the infamous "Clareifornication" column. It is often the subject of criticism by the staff for its often risqué and tasteless content.