In the Middle Ages, the college was humble-just one court, a handful of rooms, and lots and lots of rules. No smartphones, of course, but not even running water! The students didn’t even have the right to walk on the pristine lawns. To this day, those lawns are usually reserved for the chosen few. You can almost hear the footsteps of medieval scholars rustling parchment as they hurried to Old Court.
Old Court, where you’re standing, is a superstar among quadrangles: it claims to be the oldest continually inhabited courtyard in the entire country-though our friends at Merton College, Oxford, might argue that point. The college couldn’t afford anything grand, so what you’re seeing is pretty much what a scholar or fellow from the 1350s would’ve seen, minus a few modern plumbing upgrades. If you peek through the ancient passageway, you might spot St Bene’t’s Church. The tower of that church is actually the oldest building in Cambridge, built before the Normans even thought about invading England.
Now, things weren’t always calm here. In 1381, during the Peasants’ Revolt, an angry mob stormed Corpus, carried away precious silver-and even burned the charter! It was rough being wealthy with so many treasures. The college claimed damages that would today buy you a pretty decent house in the city, or at least a few particularly nice bicycles.
One of Corpus’s greatest benefactors was Archbishop Matthew Parker, who brought not just wisdom but also an incredible collection of medieval manuscripts. He was so protective of his books and silver that he set up a rule: if the college ever lost a certain number of items, the entire collection would be whisked away to rival colleges! Nothing like a threat of total loss to keep folks on their toes. (This might be where the phrase “Nosey Parker” comes from. He was very practical-and apparently very nosy.)
Of course, this place wasn’t just about pious prayer and bookish pursuits. Christopher Marlowe, playwright and possible spy, was a student here in the sixteenth century. Legend has it he might have spent as much time pulling off cloak-and-dagger deals as writing plays. In fact, during renovations in the 1950s, a mysterious portrait was found dating from the exact year Marlowe was 21. Spooky, right?
Moving through the centuries, you’ll find Corpus popping up in all sorts of adventures. It was attacked again in 1688-this time by an anti-Catholic mob. In the English Civil War, while nearly every other college melted down its silver to fund one side or the other, Corpus stayed neutral and kept its treasure. Maybe they just had better hiding places.
If you’re thinking this is all drama without any success, think again! Corpus is famous for academic excellence. In 2024, it ranked first in the university for its final-year students. And they know how to throw a party-the Corpus Christi feast day still includes an extravagant dinner, though they’ve stopped parading treasures through the streets. Health and safety, you know.
The Eagle Pub, which the college owns, is just around the corner. In 1952, Watson and Crick walked in, announcing, “We have found the secret of life!” after discovering DNA’s structure. Cheers erupted, and the pub still bears a blue plaque. If walls could talk, The Eagle’s would probably give TED Talks.
From medieval lanterns and secrets, to the digital age-Corpus’s Parker Library is now online for the world to see, thanks to a partnership with Stanford. Throughout it all, Corpus has remained small, tight-knit, and, as rumor would have it, enormously wealthy in silver and wine (yes, it’s true-they have some of the best cellars). But don’t get any ideas; most of it is locked away, treasure hunter!
So, as you stand before these ancient walls, picture all those centuries of scholars, rebels, kings, and poets...and maybe a few ghosts, too, swirling around you. But no matter what, it remains a place of learning, lore, and more than a few hidden stories.
Ready? Next, we’ll head toward our second stop-the Mathematical Bridge! Don’t worry, we won’t need any mathematical skills to cross it. Or do we…?
Curious about the buildings, student life or the traditions and anecdotes? Don't hesitate to reach out in the chat section for additional details.
