Take a good look at Corpus Christi College, or as its mother would call it, “The College of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary”-which I promise is the longest nickname on this tour! Now, take a deep breath. Imagine the street here in 1352: the air is full of anticipation, and the bubonic plague has just swept through Cambridge. In the thick of such tough times, a group of local townsfolk-yes, local tradesmen and not posh nobles-decided to build a college. Maybe they figured, “If you survive the Black Death, you deserve a bit of education and a nice new building.”
The Guild of Corpus Christi and the Guild of the Blessed Virgin Mary merged, acquired land right here in the center of town, and thus Corpus was born. It’s the only Cambridge college founded by townspeople, not royals or bishops-a truly homegrown creation. In the beginning, the college was so modest that it could only house the Master and two fellows. Students? They weren’t even officially mentioned in the college statutes for the first 200 years. I guess you could say students were the “understudies” of the college for quite a while.
Picture the first annual Corpus Christi procession in its medieval heyday: a glittering parade of treasures, priests, professors, and the grand host itself, snaking through the winding streets to Magdalene Bridge and back, all before tucking in for a celebratory feast. It sounds more fun than a May Ball-and with less dancing! This tradition continued until the Reformation, when, with a nod to religious caution, the Master shut down the parade, but the big dinner never vanished.
Corpus Christi’s Old Court, if you peek inside, is one of the most ancient, continually-inhabited college courtyards in the UK. It even has sills and jambs, throwbacks to the days before window glass, when linen soaked in oil would be stuffed into these stone slots to keep the draught out. The tradition here is that only fellows are allowed to walk on the lawns-unless you’re lucky enough to be here for a summer garden party or you have extremely convincing shoes.
Right beside you stands St Bene’t’s Church-the college’s original chapel and the oldest building in Cambridge, with roots even deeper than the college itself. For centuries, the chapel and college were as tightly linked as a set of conjoined twins. The church’s tower reaches up like a watchman, standing guard, while inside Old Court you’ll find reminders of Christopher Marlowe, the great playwright and suspected Elizabethan secret agent. He started his journey at Corpus in 1580-imagine a young Marlowe, quill in hand, perhaps plotting a little poetry or espionage.
But the history here isn’t always peaceful. In 1381, during the Peasants’ Revolt, townspeople and even some rebellious students stormed the college, burned charters, and made off with its treasures. One wonders if it was an early version of a student rent strike. Hundreds of years later, during the English Civil War, Corpus managed to keep its legendary silver safe by divvying it up among cautious fellows. When peace returned, so too did the silver-and, after being melted down, it paid for much-needed repairs.
The Parker Library is the college's crown jewel. Begun in the 1300s and greatly expanded by Archbishop Matthew Parker, it now houses over 600 medieval manuscripts, including the 1,400-year-old St Augustine Gospels. These delicate treasures are so strictly accounted for that losing just a few would see the whole collection whisked away to another college-talk about pressure for the librarian! Rumor has it that Parker’s legendary nose for rare books might be the origin of the phrase “Nosey Parker.”
Fast-forward to today, and Corpus still keeps making headlines. It’s one of the wealthiest colleges in Cambridge, thanks to those famous silver stores, and its academics punch well above their weight: in recent years, Corpus is consistently in the top ranks of Cambridge, even finishing first in 2024 for final-year students. Don’t overlook the modern wonders, either. In 2008, the college unveiled the “Chronophage” clock-wait for it-a gold monster that “eats time.” It’s accurate only once every five minutes, and yes, it really is in a hurry.
So, whether you’re here for the stories of secret tunnels, mysterious portraits of Marlowe, or just the legendary Eagle Pub (where Watson and Crick once announced they’d “discovered the secret of life” over a pint), Corpus is a college brimming with drama, learning, and a touch of mischief. Not bad for a place founded by townsfolk and built for survivors. Shall we continue our wandering, or pause for a moment to imagine dinner in Old Court with Cambridge’s greatest minds?
Ready to delve deeper into the buildings, student life or the traditions and anecdotes? Join me in the chat section for an enriching discussion.
