Corpus Christi College
Corpus Christi or to given its full name "The College of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary" is often referred to simply as Corpus by Cambridge students. It’s situated in the centre of town just along the road from Kings’ College Chapel. Founded by the Guilds of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary after the back death in 1352 it is notable as the only college in Oxford or Cambridge to be founded by their townspeople.
It is the smallest college in terms of undergraduate numbers admitting fewer than 90 per annum.
Location
The main entrance takes you into the Georgian new court, next to this stands Old Court, built in the 1350s. Old Court is claimed to be the oldest courtyard in Oxbridge as well as the oldest continually inhabited courtyard in the country and is haunted by numerous ghosts and ghouls. A new library complex on the far side of Old Court has recently been completed; this is home to corpus clock, opened by Stephen Hawking in 2008.
Corpus has a large silver collection but its most prized possession is the large collection of medieval manuscripts held in the Parker Library. Possibly a more famous than any manuscript is the Corpus owned Eagle pub; a favourite haunt of Watson and Crick while working on the structure of DNA.
only slightly diminished by the uncanny resemblance to orangeade
As with all Cambridge Colleges, new students attend a matriculation feast in the first week of term. At Corpus on these occasions an ancient drinking horn is passed around those assembled. The horn is older than the college itself and was a foundation gift to commemorate Pope Sylvester. When you receive the horn you stand to drink from it, the people either side of you also stand to prevent you being stabbed by a rapscallion as you quaff away. It is a remarkable experience and is only slightly diminished by the contents uncanny resemblance to orangeade.
Famous alumni
The most famous alumnus is probably Christopher Marlowe (16th century dramatist and poet). Corpus boasts several Archbishops of Canterbury as previous students and recent Corpuscles include several Tory politicians: Bernard Jenkin, Neil Hamilton and Francis Maude.
For more information about the college and their opening times please visit their website