The Eagle
About
The Eagle is a 16th-century coaching inn on Bene't Street that's famous for two things: it's where Crick and Watson announced they'd discovered the structure of DNA in 1953 (famously declaring they'd found 'the secret of life' over lunchtime pints), and the RAF Bar ceiling, covered in graffiti burned there by WWII airmen using candles and cigarette lighters. The RAF Bar ceiling alone is worth the visit — thousands of names, squadron numbers, and messages left by American and British airmen stationed at Cambridge's surrounding airfields. It's extraordinarily moving. The plaque commemorating Crick and Watson's announcement is in the main bar. The pub itself is a pleasant, atmospheric place for a pint — good ales, decent food, a courtyard garden. It does get busy with tourists who've come specifically for the DNA connection, but it remains a proper working pub. On a quiet Tuesday afternoon you can sit in the RAF Bar with a pint and contemplate the extraordinary things that have happened in this building. The pub is managed by Greene King — the beer selection is solid if unexciting.
01223 505020
Opening Times
Mon-Sat 10:00-23:00, Sun 11:00-22:30.
Popular Nearby
Punting on the Cam
Granta Place, Mill Lane, Cambridge CB2 1RS
Glide past King's Chapel, the Bridge of Sighs, and the most beautiful college gardens in England — punting is Cambridge distilled....
Sports & Leisure, Romantic, Landmarks & Attractions
From £30.00
Fitzwilliam Museum
Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1RB
Egyptian tombs, Renaissance masters, and Impressionist paintings in a grand neoclassical palace — Cambridge's magnificent free museum....
Museums, Art, Historical
Free
King's College Chapel
King's Parade, Cambridge CB2 1ST
The world's largest fan-vaulted ceiling, Rubens behind the altar, and a choir that defines Christmas — Gothic architecture at its most sublime....
Landmarks & Attractions, Historical, Music
From £11.00
Trinity College
Trinity Street, Cambridge CB2 1TQ
The largest court in Europe, a Wren library with Newton's notebooks, and the college that's produced more Nobel laureates than most countries....
Landmarks & Attractions, Historical
From £8.00
Cambridge Market Square
Market Square, Cambridge CB2 3QJ
A medieval market square still buzzing six days a week — Jack's Gelato, vintage finds, and the best people-watching spot in Cambridge....
Markets, Food & Drink
Free
What people are saying about this
Invite your friends by email, any users that already have an account will be sent a friend request.