The College was founded in 1496, and it originally consisted of buildings taken over from the nunnery of St Mary and St Radegund: namely the chapel, and the cloister attached to it; the nuns' refectory, which became the college hall; and the former lodging of the prioress, which became the Master's Lodge. This set of buildings remains the core of the college to this day, and this accounts for its distinctly peaceful and spacious character, which sets it apart from all the other Cambridge colleges.