The College of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary

The College of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Founded 1352 by The Guild of Corpus Christi and The Guild of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Sister College – Corpus Christi College Oxford. Men and Women – Undergraduates 253 Postgraduates 220. Corpus Christi is unique in the university for being the only college founded by ‘town’ and not ‘gown’ – in other words established by town’s people and not the ruling class or clergy. The Guild of Corpus Christi and the Guild of the Blessed Virgin Mary pooled resources and were granted a licence by Edward III to build what was the eighth Cambridge college, in 1352. City mayor reminds college of its roots The original court was modest and supported a master and two fellows. They would have studied theology and canon law, along with their responsibilities as chaplains to the guild. The town’s people, led by the mayor, stormed the college in 1381, reminding it of its roots, protesting about the hated ‘candle rents’, levied upon its domestic properties. This led to further peasant protests that King Richard soon brought to a brutal conclusion. Trumpington Street Corpus is one of a cluster of impressive colleges and buildings facing Trumpington Street, the south approach road into central Cambridge. On the east side is Corpus and Pembroke while on the west side is the fabulous Neoclassical Fitzwilliam Museum along side Peterhouse and St Catherine’s College (directly opposite Corpus). Students have a three-minute walk to the market