As an autonomous corporation the University has as its designation 'the Chancellor, Masters and Scholars of the University of Cambridge'. The University is custodian of its own charters of privilege, title-deeds and administrative records. The charters are particularly important in that they determine the nature of the University as a privileged institution.

The University has no foundation charter and, indeed, no known founder. It does not possess the first authentic recognition of its existence by the Crown, a small writ of 1231 concerning the rents of houses of scholars, which is recorded in the Close Rolls. Many of the early muniments were burned during the Peasants Revolt of 1381. However, more than 30 royal charters, letters and mandates survive, as well as several ecclesiastical and other documents, which date from before 1381. The earliest survivng document in the University Archives is a letters patent of 1266, also relating to the rents of scholars' houses (UA Luard 1*).

The majority of medieval muniments are royal grants and mandates or documents of ecclesiastical privilege. Of royal benefactors in this period, Richard II was most active. The earliest ecclesiastical charter is that of Bishop Hugo of Ely in 1276 limiting the jurisdiction of the archdeacon of Ely (UA Luard 5i-ii). The most interesting and important documents relating to ecclesiastical privilege are those connected with the Barnwell Process of 1430 (UA Luard 107-8). There are also several compositions with Colleges and other bodies, of which the earliest survivor is the important composition of 1270 with the town, arbitrated by the Lord Edward and confirmed by the Crown (UA Luard 3).

For the period 1546-1772 there are a further 18 royal charters, confirmations of charters and letters patent. The greatest royal patrons of the University in this period were Elizabeth I and James I.

Registrary Luard catalogued the charters of privilege and other documents in 1876. His arrangement is retained and his name forms the first element of the classmark.