139-483: The Parker Library is a library within Corpus Christi College, Cambridge which contains rare books and manuscripts. It is known throughout the world due to its invaluable collection of over 600 manuscripts, particularly medieval texts, the majority of which were bequeathed to the college by Archbishop of Canterbury Matthew Parker , a former Master of Corpus Christi College. The library houses
278-413: A confrater shortly before his death), Nigel de Longchamps and Ernulf. The monks often put forward candidates for Archbishop of Canterbury, either from among their number or outside, since the archbishop was nominally their abbot, but this could lead to clashes with the king or pope should they put forward a different man – examples are the elections of Baldwin of Forde and Thomas Cobham . Early in
417-493: A cross flanked by two bloodstained swords which, together with the shadows they cast, represent the four knights who killed Becket. A stone plaque also commemorates Pope John Paul II's visit to the United Kingdom in 1982. Antony Gormley 's sculpture Transport was unveiled in the crypt in 2011. It is made from iron nails from the roof of the south-east transept. In 2015, Sarah Mullally and Rachel Treweek became
556-433: A former Roman church. The oldest remains found during excavations beneath the present nave in 1993 were, however, parts of the foundations of an Anglo-Saxon building, which had been constructed across a Roman road. They indicate that the original church consisted of a nave, possibly with a narthex , and side-chapels to the north and south. A smaller subsidiary building was found to the south-west of these foundations. During
695-451: A monk of the priory) and William Chillenden, (elected 1264, previously monk and treasurer of the priory). The monastery was granted the right to elect their own prior if the seat was vacant by the pope, and – from Gregory IX onwards – the right to a free election (though with the archbishop overseeing their choice). Monks of the priory have included Æthelric I , Æthelric II , Walter d'Eynsham , Reginald fitz Jocelin (admitted as
834-415: A new quire screen at the east end of the nave, into which Eastry's existing screen was incorporated. The Norman stone floor of the nave, however, survived until its replacement in 1786. From 1396 the cloisters were repaired and remodelled by Yevele's pupil Stephen Lote who added the lierne vaulting. It was during this period that the wagon-vaulting of the chapter house was created. A shortage of money and
973-667: A number of scholars, scribes, and book artisans to acquire, curate, maintain, and edit his manuscripts. Stephen Batman , one of Parker's chaplains, boasted to have collected 6,700 books over the course of four years for the Archbishop, though very few of them were selected for the library: "Among whose Bookes remayned, althoughe the moste parte according to the tyme, yet some worthy the viewe and safe kéeping, gathered wythin foure yeares, of Diuinitie, Astronomie, Historie, Phisicke, and others of sundrye Artes and Sciences (as I can truely auouche, hauing his Graces commission wherevnto his hande
1112-894: A significant proportion of Anglo-Saxon manuscripts, including the earliest copy of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (Version A of the ASC, Corp. Chris. MS 173, known as the Winchester Chronicle or the Parker Chronicle, c. 890), the Old English Bede , and King Alfred 's translation of Pastoral Care (a manual for priests), as well as the Latin St Augustine Gospels , one of the oldest bound books in existence. The collection also includes key Middle English texts, such as
1251-484: A single modest court near the parish church began immediately and in 1356 it was ready to house the Master and two fellows . The college's statutes were drawn up in 1356. The united guild merged its identity with the new college, which acquired all the guild's lands, ceremonies, and revenues. The grandest of these ceremonies was the annual Corpus Christi procession : a parade through the streets to Magdalene Bridge ,
1390-521: A spy, a claim based on only a single cryptic statement by the Privy Council . In 1952, a portrait of a man "in the 21st year of his age" was discovered during renovation work at the college. As the painting is dated 1585, the year Marlowe was 21, it has been claimed as a portrait of the playwright, of whom no other known portrait exists. As the number of students rose a bigger chapel became necessary. In 1578 Sir Nicholas Bacon, Lord Keeper of
1529-429: A stream of water running through it from end to end. A second smaller dormitory for the conventual officers ran from east to west. Close to the refectory, but outside the cloisters, were the domestic offices connected with it: to the north, the kitchen, 47 feet (14 m) square, with a pyramidal roof, and the kitchen court; to the west, the butteries, pantries, etc. The infirmary had a small kitchen of its own. Opposite
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#17327646582571668-545: A subscription-only interactive web application in which the manuscript page images can be used by scholars and students in the context of editions, translations and secondary sources. A very small number of these are printed books, mistakenly catalogued as manuscripts in the 18th century, and so were excluded. Additionally, there are a few manuscripts with paper pages which are badly damaged by moisture, or those with very fragile bindings, which at present cannot be successfully imaged in their totality. Exterior images were made of
1807-555: A terrible effect on him. In 1632, when Butts failed to turn up to deliver the University Sermon on Easter Day, he was found to have hanged himself. Corpus maintains an impressive collection of silver as it was the only college not to sell its silverware in support of either side during the Civil War . That, and its unrivalled collection of manuscripts and massive collection of rare wines and ports, fuels rumours that it
1946-431: A total of £11,596 were stolen from the college collection. The items, which included chalices and patens , were taken from the college chapel while it was open to the public. Several pieces worth £956 in total were recovered a fortnight later; the remainder was discovered to have been melted down. A local man was arrested and charged with the theft. None of the pieces lost were part of Parker's bequest. On 12 July 2017,
2085-448: A week: Evensong on a Wednesday evening, and on Sunday Holy Communion in the morning and Evensong in the evening. The Chapel choir is made up of students from both Corpus and other colleges in the university. They have released several CDs and tour regularly, previously visiting New York City and Italy . The current organ was built by Noel Mander MBE in 1968 and the casework was designed by Stephen Dykes Bower . The previous organ
2224-401: A western apse was added as an oratory of Saint Mary , probably during the archbishopric of Lyfing (1013–1020) or Aethelnoth (1020–1038). The 1993 excavations revealed that the new western apse was polygonal, and flanked by hexagonal towers, forming a westwork . It housed the archbishop's throne, with the altar of St Mary just to the east. At about the same time that the westwork was built,
2363-518: Is Cambridge's richest college per student. This is a moot point, since these assets cannot be sold and the majority of them cannot be valued. Unlike other Oxbridge colleges, the college managed to remain neutral during the Civil War. This was due to the ministration of Richard Love who was Master throughout the Civil War and the Commonwealth . According to college legend, the silver plate
2502-468: Is Dr Philippa Hoskins, elected as the second Donnelley Fellow Librarian in 2019. In 2004 the college established The Friends of The Parker Library , a small subscription-based club in order to raise money and secure the future of the library. The Parker Library on the Web project is a joint venture run by Corpus Christi College, Cambridge , Cambridge University Library and Stanford University Libraries in
2641-759: Is available here . Its most prestigious possession is the St Augustine Gospels ( Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, Lib. MS. 286 ), believed to have been brought to England by the Augustinian mission , sent by Pope Gregory I to convert the people of Britain in AD ;597. It is an illuminated Gospel Book created in Italy in the 6th century and has been in England since soon after its creation. It has 265 leaves measuring about 252 x 196 mm, and
2780-457: Is celebrated by the college as its greatest benefactor. During the Peasants' Revolt in 1381, the college was sacked by a mob of townspeople (and apparently some students ) led by the mayor which, according to the college, carried away its plate as well as its charter to be burned while gutting the rest of the college buildings. Corpus was the only University college, although by no means
2919-535: Is currently available free to all registered users. Corpus Christi College, Cambridge Corpus Christi College (full name: "The College of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary", often shortened to "Corpus") is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge . From the late 14th century to the early 19th century it was also commonly known as St Benet's College . The college
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#17327646582573058-422: Is not entirely complete, missing pages with miniatures in particular. This manuscript is the oldest surviving Latin (as opposed to Greek or Syriac ) illustrated Gospel book, and one of the oldest European books in existence. Although the only surviving illuminations are two full-page miniatures , these are of great significance in art history , as so few comparable images have survived. The Gospels are used in
3197-532: Is notable as the only one founded by Cambridge townspeople: it was established in 1352 by the Guild of Corpus Christi and the Guild of the Blessed Virgin Mary, making it the sixth-oldest college in Cambridge. With around 300 undergraduates and 200 postgraduates, it also has the second smallest student body of the traditional colleges of the university, after Peterhouse . The College has traditionally been one of
3336-561: Is one of the oldest Christian structures in England and forms part of a World Heritage Site . Its formal title is the Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Christ, Canterbury . Founded in 597, the cathedral was completely rebuilt between 1070 and 1077. The east end was greatly enlarged at the beginning of the 12th century, and largely rebuilt in the Gothic style following a fire in 1174, with significant eastward extensions to accommodate
3475-481: Is the oldest building in Cambridge dating back to before the Norman Conquest , built in the late Anglo-Saxon period . It is also notable for being the birthplace of the practice of ringing the changes , which was started by Fabian Stedman , a parish clerk, in 1670. New Court (completed 1827) was designed by William Wilkins , who is buried in the vaults of the college chapel. Although he went on to design
3614-438: Is yet to be séene) sixe thousand seauen hundred Bookes, by my onelye trauaile, whereof choyse being taken, he most gratiouslye bestowed many on Corpus Christi Colledge in Cambridge." In his correspondence, Parker often discussed his curatorial process. Writing to William Cecil in 1573, Parker defended his collection of manuscripts as part of his duty to preserve and print "such rare and written authors that came to my hands, until
3753-648: The Ancrene Wisse , the Brut Chronicle and Geoffrey Chaucer 's Troilus and Criseyde . Other items include medieval travelogues and maps, apocalypses , bestiaries , one of the oldest pieces of extant written music, and illuminated manuscripts, such as the two giant Romanesque bibles of Bury (c. 1135) and Dover ( c. 1150 ) and the Chronica Majora by Matthew Paris ( c. 1250 ). A full, alphabetised catalogue
3892-550: The Christ Pantocrator was painted for the college by a Greek Orthodox monk and is used as a focus for meditation. The Chapel was extended in the late 19th century to make room for increasing student numbers, and the chancel dates from this time. The ceiling, which had been a stone fan-ribbed vault like the ceiling of the college gatehouse, was replaced by the painted wooden ceiling still in place today. Services are held daily and there are sung services three times
4031-710: The Gregorian Mission to convert the Anglo-Saxons to Christianity . According to the writings of the later monk Bede , these Augustinian missionaries gained permission from the Kentish king to restore several pre-existing churches. Augustine then founded Canterbury cathedral in 597 and dedicated it to Jesus Christ, the Holy Saviour . When other dioceses were founded in England Augustine
4170-784: The Second World War , the Master of the College was Sir Will Spens , who was also Regional Commissioner of Civil Defence for the Eastern Region: had Hitler invaded, he would have been in charge of running Eastern England. The college housed various government departments whilst the then Master was also the Regional Commissioner. Corpus would have hosted the organisation which may have been required to act as an autonomous government authority if central government
4309-584: The University of Cambridge , the sixth in the University's history. Later the same year the new guild merged with an older guild, the Guild of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which had been decimated by the Plague . The united guilds acquired land in the centre of town and their patron, the Duke of Lancaster , applied to King Edward III for a licence to found a new college, which was granted in 1352. Construction of
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4448-401: The cloister and monastic buildings were to the north, rather than the south of the church. There was a separate chapter-house which still exists, said to be "the largest of its kind in all of England". Stained glass here depicts the history of Canterbury. The buildings formed separate groups around the church. Adjoining it, on the north side, stood the cloister and the buildings devoted to
4587-598: The host carried by a priest and several of the college's treasures carried by the Master and fellows, before returning for an extravagant dinner. The parade continued until the English Reformation , when the Master, William Sowode, put a stop to it in 1535. The college continues to have a grand dinner on the feast day of Corpus Christi , the Thursday after Trinity Sunday . The newly constructed court could house 22 fellows and students. The statutes laid down
4726-420: The priors . Following the election of Prior Ernulf in 1096, Lanfranc's inadequate east end was demolished, and replaced with an eastern arm 198 feet long, doubling the length of the cathedral. It was raised above a large and elaborately decorated crypt . Ernulf was succeeded in 1107 by Conrad, who completed the work by 1126. The new quire took the form of a complete church in itself, with its own transepts;
4865-493: The "Angel Steeple", after a gilded angel that once stood on one of its pinnacles. The cathedral ceased to be an abbey during the dissolution of the monasteries when all religious houses were suppressed. Canterbury Cathedral, and the great monastery of Christ Church were surrendered to the Crown on 30 March 1539, after the occupants had made "an inventory of the good, chattels, plate, precious ornaments, lead, and money belonging to
5004-472: The 'Cambridge Intelligence Seminar' which convenes regularly in rooms. The current college visitor is the Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, Lord Sainsbury of Turville . In 2008, the college completed the renovation of an adjacent bank building and other college buildings to create Library Court, the third court within the main college campus. In January 2012, several pieces of silver worth
5143-536: The 14th century, Prior Eastry erected a stone quire screen and rebuilt the chapter house, and his successor, Prior Oxenden inserted a large five-light window into St Anselm's chapel. The cathedral was seriously damaged by the 1382 Dover Straits earthquake , losing its bells and campanile. From the late 14th century the nave and transepts were rebuilt, on the Norman foundations in the Perpendicular style under
5282-495: The 18th century and did produce several distinguished scholars and clergymen including the so-called Benedictine Antiquaries, a dozen or so men all well known for antiquarian research including such figures as Richard Gough and William Stukeley . In the 1740s, Archbishop Thomas Herring left £1000 for the rebuilding of the college and this led to several abortive attempts to start construction. In 1770 Matthias Mawson , former Master and Bishop of Ely , bequeathed £3000 to defray
5421-618: The 1930s, Corpus is one of the few British institutions to have lost more members in the Second World War than in the First. Their names are inscribed in the Chapel. Corpus owns The Eagle Pub , which is managed by Greene King . Watson and Crick are said to have refreshed themselves in this pub while studying the structure of DNA in the nearby Cavendish Laboratory . Upon making the discovery in 1952, they are said to have walked into
5560-406: The 1950s. In July 2019, the college announced that it would create 30 new undergraduate places, specifically aimed at helping students from under-represented backgrounds to take up places at the university. Built in the 1350s, Old Court contains some of Cambridge's oldest buildings, and retains many of its original features, such as sills and jambs used to hold oil-soaked linen in the days prior to
5699-506: The 9th or 10th century this church was replaced by a larger structure (161 by 75 ft, 49 by 23 m) with a squared west end. It appears to have had a square central tower. The 11th-century chronicler Eadmer , who had known the Saxon cathedral as a boy, wrote that, in its arrangement, it resembled St Peter's in Rome, indicating that it was of basilican form, with an eastern apse. During
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5838-535: The Church of England defended the decision stating that Monteith lives chastely with his partner. In 2024, the cathedral began offering blessings for same-sex couples "already in civil partnerships or civil marriages" or in "covenanted friendship" during ordinary or regular church services in accordance with "Prayers of Love and Faith." The cathedral is Regimental Church of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment and
5977-465: The Corpus Christi procession, St Richard Reynolds who was martyred by Henry VIII , and Thomas Dusgate and George Wishart who were both burned as Protestants . It was during this time that Matthew Parker became Master. He donated his unrivalled library to the college, much silver plate and its symbol, the pelican . In order to ensure the safety of his collection Parker inserted into
6116-592: The Elizabethan chapel. The chapel currently standing in New Court is part of the 19th-century construction. Completion of a new, larger court allowed for many more students and numbers increased from 48 to 100. During the 19th century the college became associated with the Evangelical religious movement . In the 1860s its popularity grew so great that it became the third largest college in Cambridge. Corpus
6255-477: The English Church. The original gift from Parker consisted of about 480 manuscripts and around 1000 printed books spanning the 6th–16th centuries. The historian James D. Wenn has suggested that Parker may have enjoyed the protection of Sir Rowland Hill of Soulton , Shropshire, during his period of disfavour under Mary I, when this collection would have been in danger, along with Parker himself; Hill
6394-588: The Fellowship of the College elected professor Christopher Kelly , president of the college and former senior tutor, as the college's 52nd master. He took up his post in the Michaelmas Term of 2018. A major restoration of the college's dining hall and servery were undertaken in 2017–18 and completed in February 2019, revealing medieval stonework that had been covered up by the previous restoration in
6533-473: The Great Seal , who had already endowed several scholarships to the college, donated £200 (roughly £30,000 now) for the construction of a new chapel. This sum was not nearly great enough to build a chapel, and despite the efforts of the Master and fellows, the project outran estimates and nearly bankrupted the college. The college sold all of its silver, apart from the gifts from Parker, and the building work
6672-676: The United States of America. The main goal of the project is to digitise all of the medieval manuscripts in the Parker Library and to be the first project that seeks to make an entire library publicly accessible on the web. The project is funded by the Mellon Foundation . The initial phase of the project began in the summer of 2003, when the first two manuscripts, MSS 16 and 26, were digitised. These images were available as an initial prototype . A feasibility study
6811-401: The adornments of the chest over the years, while others were placed on pedestals or beams nearby, or attached to hanging drapery. For much of the time, the chest (or " feretory ") was kept concealed by a wooden cover, which would be theatrically raised by ropes once a crowd of pilgrims had gathered. The Dutch humanist Desiderius Erasmus , who visited in 1512–1514, recorded that, once the cover
6950-703: The arcade walls were strengthened and towers added to the eastern corners of the church. The cathedral was destroyed by fire in 1067, a year after the Norman Conquest. Rebuilding began in 1070 under the first Norman archbishop, Lanfranc (1070–1077). He cleared the ruins and reconstructed the cathedral to a design based closely on that of the Abbey of Saint-Étienne in Caen , where he had previously been abbot, using stone brought from France. The new church, its central axis about 5 m south of that of its predecessor,
7089-452: The arrival of glass. The court is the oldest continually inhabited courtyard in the country (a claim disputed by Merton College, Oxford , which says the same of its Mob Quad ). It is possibly built from the core of an even older building. Four sided, it typifies the model of construction of the colleges in Oxford or Cambridge. A passageway connects Old Court to Bene't Street . Due to its age
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#17327646582577228-411: The atom was conducted by J. J. Thomson and Ernest Rutherford . Around 1500, the master, Thomas Cosyn built a brick gallery which connects Old Court with St. Benet's Church; the gallery is now part of an Old Court room set. The adjacent St Bene't's Church served as the college's chapel until 1579 when one was built specifically for the purpose. The college remains the patron. The tower of St Bene't's
7367-460: The bombing raids of the Second World War its library was destroyed, but the cathedral did not sustain extensive bomb damage; the local Fire Wardens doused any flames on the wooden roof. In 1986, a new Martyrdom Altar was installed in the northwest transept, on the spot where Thomas Becket was slain, the first new altar in the cathedral for 448 years. Mounted on the wall above it, there is a metal sculpture by Truro sculptor Giles Blomfield depicting
7506-530: The building works in 2008, it relocated to the new Library Court and was renamed the Taylor Library after the project's main benefactor John Taylor . Many of the more precious volumes in the Parker Library are now protected in vaults in what used to be the Butler Library. New Court was built to symbolise the harmony between the mind, body and soul with the Parker Library on the right representing
7645-456: The cathedral and its associated buildings. This revenue included the profits from the sale of pilgrim badges depicting Becket, his martyrdom, or his shrine. The shrine was removed in 1538. King Henry VIII allegedly summoned the dead saint to court to face charges of treason. Having failed to appear, he was found guilty in his absence and the treasures of his shrine were confiscated, carried away in two coffers and 26 carts. A bird's-eye view of
7784-471: The cathedral and its monastic buildings, made in about 1165 and known as the "waterworks plan" is preserved in the Eadwine Psalter in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge . A detailed description of the plan can be found in the classic paper by Willis . It shows that Canterbury employed the same general principles of arrangement common to all Benedictine monasteries , although, unusually,
7923-424: The cathedral into a place of pilgrimage, necessitating both expansion of the building and an increase in wealth, via revenues from pilgrims, in order to make expansion possible. In September 1174 the quire was severely damaged by fire, necessitating a major reconstruction, the progress of which was recorded in detail by a monk named Gervase . The crypt survived the fire intact, and it was found possible to retain
8062-408: The century the college fell on hard times and the number of undergraduates dropped to fewer than 50. It was around this time that the infamous 'Chess Club' was founded. Despite their impeccant name they became notorious for hard drinking and partying. They were outlawed in the 1980s for their activities. Colonel Robert Caldwell was made Master in 1906 and was the first ever layman to be appointed to
8201-428: The church, beyond the precinct of the monastery, was the eleemosynary department. The almonry for the relief of the poor, with a great hall annexed, formed the paupers' hospitium. The group of buildings devoted to monastic life included two cloisters. The great cloister was surrounded by the buildings essentially connected with the daily life of the monks: the church to the south, with the refectory placed as always on
8340-488: The college Chapel Choir and dine in hall. In 1963, the college's first bar was opened in New Court. In 2008, it was moved to Library Court and the old bar was converted into a post room , staffroom and a graduate student common room. In 1962, the college approved the conversion of the Leckhampton site to allow for more accommodation for fellows and postgraduate students. Further properties were purchased adjacent to
8479-503: The college's treasures from a "tempestuous riot". Elizabeth, Duchess of Norfolk , and her sister Lady Eleanor Botelar née Talbot , who is believed by some to have been secretly married to Edward IV , endowed the college with scholarships in the 1460s and financed repairs to the college buildings. As a monument a 'talbot' , the heraldic supporter of the Talbot family, was placed on the gable of Old Court and can still be seen today. At
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#17327646582578618-545: The construction of Wilkin's New Court. Currently the collection comprises over 600 manuscripts, around 480 of which were given by Parker, who also donated around 1000 printed volumes. Canterbury Cathedral Canterbury Cathedral is the cathedral of the archbishop of Canterbury , the spiritual leader of the Church of England and symbolic leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion . Located in Canterbury , Kent, it
8757-416: The costs of demolishing and rebuilding the college but this was not enough. It was not until 1822 when £55,000 had accrued in the rebuilding fund that efforts started. William Wilkins , who had recently completed major works at Downing , King's , and Trinity , was appointed architect and the New Court was completed in 1827 in a neo-Gothic style. This involved the demolition of several buildings, including
8896-589: The country. This letter is now preserved in the Parker library in CCCC MS 114a, p.49 . As one of the architects of the Elizabethan Settlement and the modern Church of England , Parker was keenly interested in collecting and preserving manuscripts from Anglo-Saxon England as evidence of an ancient English-speaking church independent of Rome. Parker wished to demonstrate an apostolic succession for
9035-582: The curtain wall in front of King's College, Cambridge and the National Gallery in London , he considered Corpus to be his favourite work and requested to be buried in the Chapel. A plaque commemorating him is in the entrance to the Parker Library within the court. This court also housed the Butler Library, the college's student library, directly below the Parker Library. Upon completion of
9174-561: The days of King Henry the VIIIth, when the religion began to grow better." With this purpose in mind, Parker claimed to "have within my house in wages, drawers and cutters, painters and limners, writers, and bookbinders." In another letter to Cecil from 1565, Parker described the process of supplementing missing pages of text within his manuscripts by having his skilled scribes imitate the style and layout of other medieval models. Noticing that an early English Psalter of Cecil's (in this case, Parker
9313-403: The direction of the noted master mason Henry Yevele . In contrast to the contemporary rebuilding of the nave at Winchester , where much of the existing fabric was retained and remodeled, the piers were entirely removed, and replaced with less bulky Gothic ones, and the old aisle walls were completely taken down except for a low "plinth" left on the south side. More Norman fabric was retained in
9452-426: The east end was semicircular in plan, with three chapels opening off an ambulatory . A free-standing campanile was built on a mound in the cathedral precinct in about 1160. As with many Gothic church buildings, the interior of the quire was richly embellished. William of Malmesbury wrote: "Nothing like it could be seen in England either for the light of its glass windows, the gleaming of its marble pavements, or
9591-631: The end of the 1860s. There are currently 53 statues representing various figures who have been influential in the life of the cathedral and the English church such as clergy, members of the royal family, saints, and theologians. Archbishops of Canterbury from Augustine of Canterbury and Lanfranc , to Thomas Cranmer and William Laud are represented. Kings and Queens from Æthelberht and Bertha of Kent , to Victoria and Elizabeth II are included. The original towers of Christ Church Gate were removed in 1803 and were replaced in 1937. The statue of Christ
9730-626: The enthronement of the Archbishops of Canterbury today and are transported to and from Canterbury for this occasion by the Master and college representatives. In 2023 the St Augustine Gospels were used as part of the Coronation of Charles III and Camilla at Westminster Abbey . In October 2016, Christopher de Hamel announced that an 11th-century Anglo-Saxon psalter ( Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, Lib. MS. 411 ) in
9869-456: The event of any more losses) to Trinity Hall, Cambridge . Every few years, representatives from both of those colleges ceremonially inspect the collection for any losses. Parker placed a similar condition on the silver that he also bequeathed to the college, and these stipulations are part of the reason that Corpus Christi College retains to this day the entirety of the library and the silver collection, as they were unable to sell off (or melt down)
10008-429: The fellow commoners faded away. In 1882, fellows were allowed to marry for the first time. This meant that being an academic fellow could be a lifelong career rather than a stop gap between study and becoming a country parson. Consequently, the demographics of the college fellowship changed significantly during this time. The first married fellow was Edward Byles Cowell who was the first professor of Sanskrit . Later in
10147-551: The first women to be ordained as bishops in the cathedral, as Bishop of Crediton and Bishop of Gloucester respectively. In 2022, it was announced that David Monteith , who is gay and in a civil partnership , would serve as dean of the cathedral. His appointment was criticised by the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA) and the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (GAFCON);
10286-404: The flow of pilgrims visiting the shrine of Thomas Becket , the archbishop who was murdered in the cathedral in 1170. The Norman nave and transepts survived until the late 14th century, when they were demolished to make way for the present structures. Before the English Reformation , the cathedral was part of a Benedictine monastic community known as Christ Church, Canterbury , as well as being
10425-561: The high altar. Anglo-Saxon King Æthelred the Unready and Norman-born Emma of Normandy were married at Canterbury Cathedral in the Spring of 1002, and Emma was consecrated "Queen Ælfgifu ". The cathedral was badly damaged during Danish raids on Canterbury in 1011. The archbishop, Ælfheah , was taken hostage by the raiders and eventually killed at Greenwich on 19 April 1012, the first of Canterbury's five martyred archbishops. After this
10564-483: The late 14th century through to the 19th century, particularly during the Reformation when Catholic references were discouraged, Corpus was known as St Benet's College. By 1376 it possessed 55 books, and many more would be donated or bequeathed over the succeeding centuries, including, those bequeathed by Thomas Markaunt and, most significantly, those donated in the 16th century by Archbishop Matthew Parker , who
10703-490: The later 16th century, Benet College became the name most commonly used, as "Corpus Christi" was deemed to have a very Roman Catholic flavour. This preference continued until the early 19th century. In its early centuries, the college was relatively poor and so could not construct new buildings; thus Old Court has survived to the present day. It had no chapel , so the members worshipped in St Bene't's Church next door. From
10842-484: The lawns. There is a large plaque, on the northern wall, dedicated to Christopher Marlowe and John Fletcher , both famous playwrights who studied at Corpus. Standing inside Old Court one can see the tower of St Bene't's Church , the oldest building in Cambridge, and the Old Cavendish Laboratory where the structure of DNA was solved by Watson and Crick and groundbreaking work on the structure of
10981-470: The less valuable parts of either collection without losing both. The collection has been housed in the Wilkins' Room, along the length of the south side of New Court within the college, since 1827. The ground floor, which was until 2006 the college's student library, has been converted into a temperature-controlled, fire-proof vault and separate reading room for visiting academics. The current librarian
11120-445: The library's collection had "undoubtedly" belonged to Thomas Becket , and it was possible that Becket was holding this very psalter when he was murdered in 1170. The psalter bears a 16th-century inscription attributing its ownership to Becket, but this claim had previously been dismissed as ridiculous. However, after learning of a reference to a psalter owned by Becket in a sacrists' roll from Canterbury Cathedral , de Hamel realised that
11259-511: The library's psalter matched the one described in the sacrists' roll. The identity of the psalter was supported by a 13th-century stained glass portrait of Becket in Canterbury Cathedral in which he cradles a similarly bound and coloured book under his left arm. Based on the workmanship of the psalter, de Hamel guesses that it was originally created for an archbishop, possibly Ælfheah of Canterbury . Although exhibitions of some of
11398-458: The many-coloured paintings which led the eyes to the paneled ceiling above." Though named after the 6th-century founding archbishop, the Chair of St Augustine , the ceremonial enthronement chair of the Archbishop of Canterbury, may date from the Norman period. Its first recorded use is in 1205. A pivotal moment in the history of the cathedral was the murder of the archbishop, Thomas Becket , in
11537-501: The materials are periodically held, access to the full collection of manuscripts held in Corpus Christi College is limited to scholars. The public are able to see some of the treasures of the library at open days, notably during the annual 'Open Cambridge' event, or, since the addition of the vault and new learning facilities on the ground floor has freed up room in the original library, on private tours. The collection
11676-473: The mind, the Hall and kitchens on the left representing the body and the Chapel in the centre representing the soul. The current Chapel is the third the college has had and was completed in 1827 along with the rest of New Court. It was also designed by William Wilkins, but includes some medieval glass and features, including the fellows' stalls, several memorials and the floor of the older Elizabethan Chapel, which
11815-404: The monastic life. To the east and west of these were those devoted to the exercise of hospitality. Also to the east was the infirmary, with its own chapel. To the north, a large open court divided the monastic buildings from menial ones, such as the stables, granaries, barn, bakehouse, brewhouse, and laundries, inhabited by the lay servants of the establishment. At the greatest possible distance from
11954-531: The monks" and "all that could be moved" was "handed over to the master of the jewel-house" of the Tower of London, after which "the Prior and monks were then ejected. The Cathedral reverted to its previous status of 'a college of secular canons'. According to the cathedral's own website, it had been a Benedictine monastery since the 900s. The New Foundation came into being on 8 April 1541. The shrine to St Thomas Becket
12093-421: The more academically successful colleges in the University of Cambridge. In the unofficial Tompkins Table , which ranks the colleges by the class of degrees obtained by their undergraduates, in 2012 Corpus was in third position, with 32.4% of its undergraduates achieving first-class degrees. The college's average position between 2003 and 2012 was 9th, and in the 2022 rankings it was placed 9th. Corpus ranks among
12232-431: The nave and chancel of an aisled church. Beneath the dormitory, overlooking the green court or herbarium, lay the "pisalis" or "calefactory", the common room of the monks. At its northeast corner access was given from the dormitory to the necessarium , a building in the form of a Norman hall, 145 feet (44 m) long by 25 feet (7.6 m) broad, containing 55 seats. It was constructed with careful regard to hygiene, with
12371-417: The nearby St Bene't's Church , associated with the founding guild of Corpus Christi. Both the college and the church stand on Bene't Street . Until the late 16th century, the church served as the college chapel, although St Botolph's was also used for some services. When Thomas Cosyn was master of the college in the late 15th century, a gallery was built which linked the college to St Benet's church. By
12510-616: The north-west transept (also known as the Martyrdom) on Tuesday 29 December 1170, by knights of King Henry II . The king had frequent conflicts with the strong-willed Becket and is said to have exclaimed in frustration, " Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest? " Four knights took it literally and murdered Becket in his own cathedral. After the Anglo-Saxon Ælfheah in 1012, Becket was the second Archbishop of Canterbury to be murdered. The posthumous veneration of Becket transformed
12649-590: The only University building, to be attacked. The revolt, which ironically took place during the Corpus Christi week, focused on the college as centre of discontent due to its rigid collection of "candle rents". The college claimed £80 (roughly £50,000 in modern terms) in damages. In 1460 during the Wars of the Roses , the college paid for armaments including artillery and arrows, and protective clothing to defend
12788-463: The outer walls of the quire, which were increased in height by 12 feet (3.7 m) in the course of the rebuilding, but with the round-headed form of their windows left unchanged. Everything else was replaced in the new Gothic style, with pointed arches, rib vaulting, and flying buttresses. The limestone used was imported from Caen in Normandy, and Purbeck marble was used for the shafting. The quire
12927-445: The phrase "Nosey Parker". ) Parker was forced to resign as Master in 1553 by the accession of Mary I but was elected Archbishop of Canterbury upon the succession of Elizabeth I . The playwright Christopher Marlowe is perhaps the college's most-celebrated son, having matriculated to Corpus in 1580. Although little is known about his time there, it is often believed that it was during his study for his MA that he began his work as
13066-554: The post. He changed the policy of the college with regard to admittance of fellows and undergraduates, encouraging men from other colleges and outside Cambridge to become fellows. The college was no longer chiefly training men for the clergy. Student numbers increased significantly and a new undergraduate Library named after one of the Burgesses for the university, Geoffrey Butler was completed. The college also began construction of its sports grounds in west Cambridge in 1939. During
13205-427: The present Trinity Chapel was constructed, a broad extension with an ambulatory, designed to house the shrine of St Thomas Becket. A further chapel, circular in plan, was added beyond that, which housed further relics of Becket, widely believed to have included the top of his skull, struck off in the course of his assassination. This latter chapel became known as the "Corona" or "Becket's Crown". These new parts east of
13344-401: The present bindings of each manuscript. Additional information was drawn from the supplemental hand-list by Richard Vaughan and John Fines of 1960, and descriptive material provided by the Parker Library for any manuscripts acquired more recently. Completed in 2010, the process involved the digitisation of over 200,000 separate pages. A beta version , although incomplete and with some errors,
13483-478: The priority given to the rebuilding of the cloisters and chapterhouse meant that the rebuilding of the west towers was neglected. The south-west tower was not replaced until 1458, and the Norman north-west tower survived until 1834 when it was replaced by a replica of its Perpendicular companion. In about 1430 the south transept apse was removed to make way for a chapel, founded by Lady Margaret Holland and dedicated to St Michael and All Angels. The north transept apse
13622-498: The pub and declared, "We have found the secret of life". A blue plaque on the front of the pub commemorates the event. The Eagle is also well known as a haunt for RAF officers in World War Two; renovations revealed hundreds of signatures, drawings and messages written, or even burnt, onto the walls and ceilings. During the 1960s, central heating was extended across the entire college campus. Women were also allowed to join
13761-477: The quire transepts were raised on a higher crypt than Ernulf's quire, necessitating flights of steps between the two levels. Work on the chapel was completed in 1184, but Becket's remains were not moved from his tomb in the crypt until 1220. Further significant interments in the Trinity Chapel included those of Edward Plantagenet (The " Black Prince ") and King Henry IV . The shrine in the Trinity Chapel
13900-414: The quire. Some of Davis's misericords have a distinctly medieval flavour and he may have copied some of the original designs. When Sir George Gilbert Scott carried out renovations in the 19th century, he replaced the front row of Davis' misericords, with new ones of his own design, which seem to include many copies of those at Gloucester Cathedral , Worcester Cathedral and New College, Oxford . Most of
14039-407: The refectory door in the cloister were two buildings where the monks washed before and after eating. One of these is the circular two-storey lavatorium tower. To the south of the infirmary cloister, close to the east end of the cathedral, is the treasury, with a distinctive octapartite vault. The buildings devoted to hospitality were divided into three groups. The prior's group were "entered at
14178-409: The reforms of Dunstan , archbishop from 960 until his death in 988, a Benedictine abbey named Christ Church Priory was added to the cathedral. But the formal establishment as a monastery seems to date only to c. 997 and the community only became fully monastic from Lanfranc 's time onwards (with monastic constitutions addressed by him to Prior Henry). Dunstan was buried on the south side of
14317-514: The rooms are large and contain antique furniture but lack basic facilities and plumbing. In 1919 the ivy was removed from Old Court and a roughcast rendering was put in its place, followed by a major restoration in 1952 paid for by donations from old members. During the summer months students are permitted to sit on the lawn in Old Court and garden parties may be held whereas, like other Oxbridge colleges, normally only fellows are allowed to walk on
14456-438: The rules governing the behaviour of fellows only. Students were not part of the foundation at this stage and would not come within the scope of the statutes for another 200 years. The college's most formal name is the College of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary in the University of Cambridge, usually abbreviated to Corpus Christi College. From the early 16th century, it was also known as Benet or St Benet's College, from
14595-494: The same time the Master, Thomas Cosyn, built the college's first chapel and a passageway between Old Court and St Bene't's Church. Over the next few centuries, garret rooms were added in Old Court increasing student numbers. Although spared the worst of the religious tumult that the Reformation brought to England, the college produced adherents and indeed martyrs to both traditions. Notable are William Sowode who cancelled
14734-514: The seat of the archbishop. Christianity in Britain is referred to by Tertullian as early as 208 AD and Origen mentions it in 238 AD. In 314 three Bishops from Britain attended the Council of Arles . Following the end of Roman life in Britain, during the first three decades of the fifth century, and the subsequent arrival of the heathen Anglo-Saxons , Christian life in the east of the island
14873-433: The side opposite, the dormitory, raised on a vaulted undercroft , and the chapter-house adjacent, and the lodgings of the cellarer, responsible for providing both monks and guests with food, to the west. A passage under the dormitory led eastwards to the smaller or infirmary cloister, appropriated to sick and infirm monks. The hall and chapel of the infirmary extended east of this cloister, resembling in form and arrangement
15012-405: The silver that he bequeathed to the college and these stipulations are part of the reason why Corpus Christi College retains to this day the entirety of the library and the silver collection: they were unable to sell off (or melt down) the less valuable parts of either collection without losing both. (Parker's assiduousness in his acquisition of books and manuscripts has been suggested as an origin of
15151-529: The site and a new building, the George Thomson building, named in honour of a former Master, was completed in 1964. In 1983, women were first admitted as undergraduates. They had been able to become research students and Fellows for a few years before this. In the same year, the college completed building work in Botolph Court, adding further undergraduate accommodation. Similar renovation work
15290-478: The south-east angle of the green court, placed near the most sacred part of the cathedral, as befitting the distinguished ecclesiastics or nobility who were assigned to him." The cellarer's buildings, where middle-class visitors were entertained, stood near the west end of the nave. The inferior pilgrims and paupers were relegated to the north hall or almonry, just within the gate. Priors of Christ Church Priory included John of Sittingbourne (elected 1222, previously
15429-511: The statues that currently adorn the west front of the cathedral were installed in the 1860s when the South Porch was being renovated. At that time, the niches were vacant and the Dean of the cathedral thought that the appearance of the cathedral would be improved if they were filled. The Victorian sculptor Theodore Pfyffers was commissioned to create the statues and most of them were installed by
15568-415: The terms of his endowment one which stated that if any more than a certain number of books were lost, the rest of the collection would pass first to Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge and then (in the event of any more losses) to Trinity Hall, Cambridge . Every few years, representatives from both of those colleges ceremonially inspect the collection for any losses. Parker placed a similar condition on
15707-410: The transepts, especially in the east walls, and the old apsidal chapels were not replaced until the mid-15th century. The arches of the new nave arcade were exceptionally high in proportion to the clerestory . The new transepts, aisles, and nave were roofed with lierne vaults , enriched with bosses. Most of the work was done during the priorate of Thomas Chillenden (1391–1411): Chillenden also built
15846-451: The university. Their parents were required to pay with a silver cup or tankard , which would then be melted down. The next notable master was Henry Butts, who was also vice chancellor of the university. When the plague returned to the city and the rest of the university had fled, Butts stayed at his post and tried to limit the pestilence while staying alone in the college. He was unrewarded for his bravery and this experience seems to have had
15985-528: The wealthiest Cambridge colleges in terms of fixed assets, being exceptionally rich in silver. The College's endowment was valued at £90.9M at the end of June 2017, while its net assets were valued at £227.4M. The guild of Corpus Christi was founded in Cambridge in 1349 by William Horwode, Henry de Tangmere, and John Hardy in response to the Black Death . They determined to found a new college in
16124-480: The world. The historian James D. Wenn has suggested that Parker may have enjoyed the protection of Sir Rowland Hill of Soulton , Shropshire, during his period of disfavour under Mary I, when this collection would have been in danger, along with Parker himself; Hill was the publisher of the Geneva Bible and joined Parker as a Commissioner for Ecclesiastical Cases in 1559. The building was completed in 1827 in
16263-411: Was a cruciform building, with an aisled nave of nine bays, a pair of towers at the west end, aisleless transepts with apsidal chapels, a low crossing tower, and a short quire ending in three apses. It was dedicated in 1077. Under Lanfranc's successor Anselm , who was twice exiled from England, the responsibility for the rebuilding or improvement of the cathedral's fabric was largely left in the hands of
16402-515: Was always strongly clerical as, at the time, all the fellows had to be in Holy Orders of the Church of England . For many years the majority of the college's graduates went on to be clergymen. However, the university was changing quickly; with the repeal of the Test Acts and Catholic emancipation allowing Catholics to join the university for the first time. The syllabus also broadened and
16541-466: Was back in use by 1180 and in that year the remains of Dunstan and Ælfheah were moved there from the crypt. The master-mason appointed to rebuild the quire was a Frenchman, William of Sens . Following his injury in a fall from the scaffolding in 1179 he was replaced by one of his former assistants, known as William the Englishman . In 1180–1184, in place of the old, square-ended, eastern chapel,
16680-482: Was begun in 1376, shortly after the college's founding, and much improved by a bequest from Matthew Parker in 1574, the college's Master between 1544 and 1553. He served as chaplain to Anne Boleyn , Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University , and Archbishop of Canterbury from 1559 to 1575. It was during this time that he formed a fine collection of manuscripts, salvaged from the libraries of dissolved monasteries . As part of his collection process, Parker employed
16819-775: Was completed in Bene't Court above the Eagle pub in the 1990s along with the creation of the Robert Beldam building. In recent years, the College has spearheaded the Northern Ireland Initiative. It also has strong links with New Zealand , taking a student on a full scholarship from the country each year, paid for by the Worshipful Company of Girdlers . A former president is the historian and Cold War scholar Christopher Andrew . He also chairs
16958-473: Was conducted during the early months of 2005 and the main project began at the end of 2005. The images were made by Cambridge University Library imaging staff, working at Corpus Christi College . The project has digitised the 538 manuscripts described in M. R. James ' Descriptive Catalogue of the Manuscripts in the Parker Library, Corpus Christi College ( Cambridge University Press , 1912) creating
17097-760: Was demolished in the construction of New Court. The first four stained glass windows date to around 1500 and are believed to come from the Abbey of Mariawald in Germany which had been dissolved by Napoleon . Some of the pews and the pulpit of the Elizabethan chapel can now be found in St Andrew's Church, Thurning, Norfolk . Hanging on the south wall is a depiction of the Madonna and Child by 17th-century artist Elisabetta Sirani . The Chapel also features an icon , something unusual for an Oxbridge college. The depiction of
17236-601: Was describing the Vespasian Psalter ) lacked the first psalm, Parker suggested moving a miniature of David with his harp from the 30th folio to the opening of the book and supplying the missing portions in an imitative style "counterfeited in antiquity." Though he had already been collecting manuscripts for many years, Parker received official support from the Privy Council in 1568 to continue his search for important historical and religious documents throughout
17375-639: Was destroyed on the orders of Henry VIII and the relics lost. In around 1576, the crypt of the cathedral was granted to the Huguenot congregation of Canterbury to be used as their Church of the Crypt . In 1642–1643, during the English Civil War , Puritan iconoclasts led by Edwin Sandys (Parliamentarian) caused significant damage during their "cleansing" of the cathedral. Included in that campaign
17514-575: Was disrupted. Textual sources however suggest that the Christian communities established in the Roman province survived in Western Britain during the fourth, fifth, and sixth centuries. This Western British Christianity proceeded to develop on its own terms. In 596, Pope Gregory I ordered that Augustine of Canterbury , previously the abbot of St Andrew's Benedictine Abbey in Rome, lead
17653-439: Was distributed to the fellows to keep it from being requisitioned by the warring factions. When the fighting finished the plate was returned and melted down to pay for repairs. Twelve college heads were removed from their posts, but Love and three others were retained. The college also escaped the worst excesses of the puritan Commonwealth. When William Dowsing inspected the college he found "nothing to amend". St Benet's Church
17792-433: Was donated to Methodist College Belfast on their centenary in 1968. The collection was begun in 1376 and much improved by a bequest from Matthew Parker , the college's Master between 1544 and 1553, who as Archbishop of Canterbury formed a fine collection of manuscripts from the libraries of dissolved monasteries . The Parker Collection is one of the finest and most important collections of medieval manuscripts in
17931-401: Was incapacitated. This has led to a persistent rumour of a network of tunnels under the college excavated for this purpose. While there are extensive wine cellars, there is no evidence of such tunnels. During the war there were fewer undergraduates in residence, but the space was taken up by cadets and officers of the armed services taking short courses. Due to the increase in student numbers in
18070-478: Was made archbishop. Augustine also founded the Abbey of St Peter and Paul outside the Canterbury city walls . This was later rededicated to St Augustine himself and was for many centuries the burial place of the successive archbishops. The abbey is part of the World Heritage Site of Canterbury, along with the cathedral and the ancient Church of St Martin . Bede recorded that Augustine reused
18209-543: Was not completed until 1662. Other contributors included Elizabeth I and Sir Francis Drake . Owing to disputed appointments to the Mastership, Elizabeth I imposed the appointment of John Jegon as Master in 1590. The college did not appoint its own master for some time. Although not the college's choice, Jegon extricated the college from its financial difficulties by instituting fellow commoners , who would stay for one or two years and were never technically members of
18348-450: Was not so lucky and indeed there was much disturbance in the fellowship as many were forced out and reinstated as circumstances changed through the period. In 1688, the college was attacked once again by a mob, this time with an anti-Catholic bent. They made for the rooms of the bursar , Clement Scott, whom they suspected of popery . He hid himself from the mob so they destroyed his books and papers. The college continued to grow throughout
18487-443: Was placed directly above Becket's original tomb in the crypt. A marble plinth, raised on columns, supported what an early visitor, Walter of Coventry , described as "a coffin wonderfully wrought of gold and silver, and marvellously adorned with precious gems". Other accounts make clear that the gold was laid over a wooden chest, which in turn contained an iron-bound box holding Becket's remains. Further votive treasures were added to
18626-522: Was raised, "the Prior ... pointed out each jewel, telling its name in French, its value, and the name of its donor; for the principal of them were offerings sent by sovereign princes." The income from pilgrims (such as those portrayed in Geoffrey Chaucer 's Canterbury Tales ) who visited Becket's shrine, which was regarded as a place of healing, largely paid for the subsequent rebuilding of
18765-413: Was replaced by a Lady Chapel, built-in 1448–1455. The 235-foot (72 m) crossing tower was begun in 1433, although preparations had already been made during Chillenden's priorate when the piers had been reinforced. Further strengthening was found necessary around the beginning of the 16th century when buttressing arches were added under the southern and western tower arches. The tower is often known as
18904-466: Was replaced in 1990 with a bronze sculpture of Christ by Klaus Ringwald. The original Norman northwest tower, which had a lead spire until 1705, was demolished in 1834 owing to structural concerns. It was replaced with a Perpendicular-style twin of the southwest tower (designed by Thomas Mapilton), now known as the Arundel Tower, providing a more symmetrical appearance for the cathedral. This
19043-545: Was the destruction of the statue of Christ in the Christ Church Gate and the demolition of the wooden gates by a group led by Richard Culmer . The statue would not be replaced until 1990 but the gates were restored in 1660 and a great deal of other repair work started at that time; that would continue until 1704. In 1688, the joiner Roger Davis, citizen of London, removed the 13th-century misericords and replaced them with two rows of his own work on each side of
19182-481: Was the last major structural alteration to the cathedral to be made. In 1866, there were six residentiary canonries, of which one was annexed to the Archdeaconry of Canterbury and another to that of Maidstone . In September 1872, a large portion of the Trinity Chapel roof was completely destroyed by fire. There was no significant damage to the stonework or interior and the damage was quickly repaired. During
19321-459: Was the publisher of the Geneva Bible and joined Parker as a Commissioner for Ecclesiastical Cases in 1559. As early as the sixteenth century, this collection was recognised as a unique treasure, and Parker did not bequeath it without any strings. Within the terms of his endowment, Parker stated that if any more than a certain number of books were lost, the rest of the collection would pass first to Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge and then (in
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