Corpus Christi College, Cambridge Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Corpus Christi College

Corpus Christi College New Court

Arms of Corpus Christi College
Blazon: Quarterly gules and azure, in the first and fourth quarters a pelican in its piety and in the second and third three lily-flowers slipped and leaved all argent.

University

University of Cambridge

Location

Trumpington Street (map)

Coordinates

52°12′11″N 0°07′05″E / 52.2031°N 0.1180°E

Full name

The College of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary in the University of Cambridge

Abbreviation

Motto

The college has no motto, but there is a toast used at many events: Floreat Antiqua Domus (Latin)

Motto in English

May the old house flourish

Founders

The Guild of Corpus Christi,
The Guild of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Established

1352; 673 years ago

Previous names

Informal: Bene’t College or Benedict College (until about the 1820s)

Sister college

Corpus Christi College, Oxford

Master

Christopher Kelly

Undergraduates

266

Postgraduates

201

Map

Location in Central Cambridge

Corpus Christi College is a famous college at the University of Cambridge in England. Its full name is "The College of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary." People often call it "Corpus" for short. For a long time, until the early 1800s, it was also known as St Benet's College.

This college is special because it's the only one in Cambridge that was started by people from the town itself. It was founded in 1352 by two groups, the Guild of Corpus Christi and the Guild of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This makes it the sixth-oldest college in Cambridge.

Corpus Christi College has a smaller student body compared to many other colleges. It has around 250 undergraduate students and 200 postgraduate students. Even with fewer students, it has a strong reputation for academic success. In 2012, it was ranked third among Cambridge colleges for the number of students getting top grades.

The college is also known for being one of the wealthiest in Cambridge. It has many valuable items, especially a large collection of silver. In 2017, the college's total value was about £227.4 million.

Who are some famous people from Corpus Christi College?

Many notable people have studied at Corpus Christi College over the centuries. They have become famous in different fields, from writing and science to politics and the arts.

Christopher Marlowe (1564–1593) was a very important playwright and poet. He lived at the same time as William Shakespeare.
Matthew Parker (1504–1575) was a Master of the college and later became the Archbishop of Canterbury. He gave a lot of support to the college.
Sir Nicholas Bacon (1509–1579) was a key politician in the court of Queen Elizabeth I.
John Fletcher (1579–1625) was an influential playwright. He wrote many plays, sometimes with Shakespeare.
William Stukeley (1687–1765) was an antiquarian, meaning he studied ancient things and history.
John Cowper Powys (1872–1963) was a well-known novelist and philosopher.
Christopher Isherwood (1904–1986) was an influential novelist.
Edward Upward (1903–2009) was a novelist and friend of Christopher Isherwood.
E. P. Thompson (1924–1993) was a famous historian and activist for social change.
Sir Terence Etherton (born 1951) is a very high-ranking judge in England and Wales.
Kevin McCloud (born 1959) is a designer and popular TV presenter, known for shows like Grand Designs.
Hugh Bonneville (born 1963) is a well-known actor, famous for roles in TV shows and films.
David Saint-Jacques (born 1970) is an astronaut, physicist, and doctor.
Helen Oyeyemi (born 1984) is a British author.