Corpus Christi, founded by the townsfolk to train priests, is downtown (on King’s Parade), more or less opposite St Catharine’s. The dark stone of many of its buildings (some of the oldest at Cambridge University) is fronted by a grand stone entrance, reached by steps. Step over the threshold though and the austere architecture gives way to as friendly an atmosphere as a hug from a fat aunt in a woolly jumper. The Old Court is mid-14th century and its modern equivalent, New Court, was finished in 1827 by the designer of the National Gallery. The Corpus Clock isn't just a pretty 24-carat gold-plated stainless steel face, doing all sorts of clever tricks like slowing down or speeding up to show the principle of relative time and stuff. Although relatively tiddly (it's the smallest college after Peterhouse), Corpus’ wallet is well-padded, with a substantial silverware stash and ownership of the famous Eagle pub nearby. As members of one of the smallest colleges, Corpus folk (or ‘Corpuscles’) like to see themselves as one big, huggy family.
| Sex ratio (M:F): 53:47 |
Founded: 1352 |
| Full-time u’grads: 267 |
Part-time: 0 |
| Postgrads: 139 |
Mature: n/a |
| State:private school: 61:39 |
International: 11% |
| Academic ranking: 9 |
Disabled: n/a |
Bar with regular ‘slacks’ (live music) and bops in the evenings, which daylights as a cafe.
Enthusiastic drama society, the Fletcher Players.
Corpus Christi College owns the dinky and experimental Playroom theatre in town.
Two or three concerts in the Master’s Lodge each term and biennial May Ball. The College's music society, The Benet Club, organises Friday lunchtime recitals in the Chapel every week.
Two libraries – the Butler Library and new addition the Taylor Library, home to undergrads. For a student population more fitting of a small school, 100,000 books is a spread fit for bookworm royalty and includes the largest medieval manuscript collection in the UK. 15 PCs/Macs, and ethernet in all rooms.
- Weekly newsletter ('Corporeal')
- CofE chapel
- Involved JCR with pinball, pool, video games.
Sport: Boasting good rowers and ruggers, Corpus Christi competes with its Oxford namesake Corpus Christi, Oxford in an annual sports tournament that is frequently unsuccessful.
- Three acres of sports fields 10 minutes' away
- Squash courts
- Swimming pool
- Bowling green
- Snooker room.
Accommodation: Formal hall - where students are treated to candlelit dinners and waited service, happens twice a week. Somehow a meal down Pizza Express isn't so impressive is it? Corpus students don't think so with 100% of students living in. Cafeteria for less auspicious mealtimes. Gates close at 11pm but all students have their own keys. Three rooms for mobility-impaired students but access isn't brilliant due to the buildings' age. Portable ramps available for steps.
- Personal tutor and welfare officers
- Finance tutor to help with money worries
- Bursaries, grants for books, scholarships and hardship fund.
FAMOUS ALUMNI
John Fletcher (playwright); Neil Hamilton (disgraced MP); Simon Heffer (journalist); Christopher Isherwood (writer); Christopher Marlowe (infamous playwright); Lord Sieff (M&S); E P Thompson (historian).