Town and gown
"Town and gown" describes the relationship between a university city's residents and its academic community. The "gown" is academic dress: in the Middle Ages, students admitted to European universities often held minor clerical status and wore clothing similar to that of the clergy, which set them apart from the people of the town.
In practice
The phrase is younger than the division it names: the earliest uses found by the Word Histories site come from Cambridge in 1750. The tensions are much older. During the Peasants' Revolt of 1381, a crowd led by the Mayor of Cambridge destroyed the University's ledgers in Market Square.
Why it matters to newcomers
Cambridge is two things in one place: a city with its own council, economy and residents, and a University with its Colleges. The phrase still turns up in local history and news whenever those interests meet, and knowing it helps you read both.
Related
- Market Square - scene of the 1381 clash
- Gown - the academic dress behind the phrase
- College - the "gown" side of the city
Sources: Town and gown; Town and gown, Word Histories; Market Hill, Cambridge.