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Corpus Christi College, CambridgeCorpus Christi College is a College of the University of Cambridge. It is notable for being the only college to have been founded by Cambridge townspeople, having been founded in 1352 by the Guilds of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is the second-smallest college (after Peterhouse). New Court (completed 1827) was designed by William Wilkins, who is buried in the college chapel. Old Court is much older. Started in 1352, possibly from the core of an even older building, it is the oldest courtyard in Oxford or Cambridge (a claim disputed by Merton College, Oxford who say the same of their Mob Quad) and, some say, the oldest continually inhabited courtyard in the country. There are also several outlying college properties, including the graduate campus of Leckhampton. Here there are playing fields, 9 acres (38,000 m²) of gardens, a swimming pool and some of the best graduate housing in the University. Corpus is exceptionally rich in silver, but its greatest treasure is the Parker Library, one of the finest and most important collections of medieval manuscripts in the world. It houses the Canterbury Gospels, probably brought to England in 598 AD by St. Augustine, when he was sent by Pope Gregory I to convert the people of Britain. Oddities, traditions and legends As with all old institutions, Corpus has many legends, traditions and general oddities. Here is a sampling: - In Corpus slang, a bop is called a 'slack'.
- Corpus owns the Eagle pub (though it is managed by Greene King). Watson and Crick are said to have refreshed themselves in this pub while deliberating over the structure of DNA.
- The College is said to be haunted by a number of ghosts. Most famous, and feared, is the terrifying apparition of Henry Butts, hero of the plague of 1630, who was hounded to suicide two years later. Another is that of Elisabeth Spencer, daughter of the master, and her young lover (both dead in 1667). Their ghosts are said to walk on Christmas Eve.
- A college legend, no doubt scurrilous and unfounded, is that Scullion, the head porter in Tom Sharpe's Porterhouse Blue was modelled on the legendary Albert Jaggard, head porter of Corpus Christi at the time the book was written. Jaggard is remembered in a number of legends still repeated in hushed tones in the small hours of the morning.
- According to student legend, Leckhampton House is the least haunted house in England. Early in its history, the house was home to an enthusiastic experimenter in parapsychology, whose activities are said to have permanently scared off whatever might be inclined to haunt the place.
- The mathematics society is named "T. Baterby" after the last Corpus recipient of the wooden spoon. The spoon is still in the college's possession.
- The nickname 'Old House' applies to the whole college, but is most often used to designate the main college buildings, as opposed to outlying places like Leckhampton. (eg. After my morning swim at Leckers, I'm going to eat lunch at Old House)
- Members of the college often refer to themselves as 'Corpuscles'.
Famous alumni External link
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