Michaelhouse is the name of one of the former colleges of the University of Cambridge, that existed between 1323 and 1546, when it was merged with King's Hall to form Trinity College. Michaelhouse was the second residential college to be founded, after Peterhouse (1284). Though King's Hall was established earlier in 1317, it did not acquire actual premises until its refoundation by Edward III in 1336.

Reformation and Dissolution
The parish church of St Michael probably dates back to the foundation of the city of Cambridge itself, though no written records survive prior to a valuation of the living in 1217 (see William E. Lunt ed., The Valuation of Norwich, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1926, 218). Substantially rebuilt by Hervey de Stanton in the decorated style, the Church was designed to serve both the parish and the college. The chancel is three bays long, a bay larger than the nave; both chancel and nave have side aisles. In 1324, de Stanton had suggested to the bishop of Ely that the master and fellows, who were all members of the clergy, could provide daily worship for the parish, since they already used the church as their chapel. Consequently, on 18 March 1324/5, the first Master of Michaelhouse, Walter de Buxton was inducted as vicar of St Michael's Church (Trinity Archives MS 25). Until the completion of a chapel for neighbouring Gonville Hall in 1396, both Michaelhouse and Gonville shared in the use of the church.
Michaelhouse clergy contiunued to serve the parish until the dissolution of the College in 1546. Until the completion of Trinity College chapel under Mary Tudor in 1565, the scholars of Trinity continued to use St Michael's Church as its chapel. Indeed, when Trinity College was remodelled between 1708-18, the Tudor scholars' seats were transferred to St Michael's Church where they remain today. As successor of Hervey de Stanton's foundation, Trinity College continues to hold the patronage of the living of St Michael's and, during the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries, fellows in Holy Orders at Trinity College ministered as clergy (so-called 'chaplains') in St Michael's Church. The present minister retains this title.
From the middle of the seventeenth century until the middle of the nineteenth century, the church was used as a venue of the episcopal and archidiaconal visitations for the Diocese of Ely. Similarly, Diocesan confirmation services would be held at St Michael's rather than in Ely Cathedral. On 11 November 1849, as the congregation was gathering for Sunday worship, the heating system caused the church roof to catch fire, resulting in the careful rebuilding of the roof by George Gilbert Scott the following year. Twenty years later, from 1870-2, George Gilbert Scott Junior designed a fine new East Window and matching altarpiece for the chancel, while the ceiling and walls were painted by F.R. Leach.
Ultimately, the parish was too small to be sustainable. Indeed, from as early as 1550, when it was suggested that it should be united with the parish of All Saints in the Jewry, St Michael's parish was threatened with fusion with neighbouring parishes. It was finally united with that Great St Mary's in 1908. Substantially refurbished in 2001-2002, the church now bears the College's name and serves as a weekday church, community centre, art gallery and a café. The chapel adjacent to de Stanton's grave is named in his memory and now, as then, forms the focal point for daily devotions at the church he built.

This article derives some information from an edition of 'Trinity College - An Historical Sketch' by GM Trevelyan, along with information from various individuals associated with the College and the University and Andreas Loewe's 'Michaelhouse: City Church, Cambridge College'.