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Corpus Christi College, Cambridge

Introduction

Corpus Christi College was founded in 1352 originally built around an irregular quadrangle. The garden consists of Old Court (the original irregular quadrangle), the Fellows' Garden, the Master's Garden and New Court.

Loggan's map of 1688 shows Old Court with a rectangular lawn crossed by a path leading towards the Master's Lodge. The Master's Garden was to the south and comprised a walled garden enclosing a bowling green and four square plots for vegetables. Between the vegetable plots and the graveyard of St. Mary's Church were the Tennis Courts.

Custance's map of 1798 shows Old Court with a single lawn, without a path, and the Master's Garden simplified with the bowling green between two formal clumps of trees. In 1823 Wilkins The Younger built New Court with the College entrance along Trumpington Street.

The 1st Ordnance Survey map of 1888 shows New Court, with a central lawn, leading to Old Court which now has an oval shaped lawn with an oval stone path bordered with cobbles. The Fellows' Garden, to the north of the new chapel, had a central lawn surrounded by trees and shrubs.

The Master's Lodge has been enlarged and the garden has changed from its earlier formality to a lawn with a path which winds amongst shrubberies and trees. The Tennis Courts had also been removed. Today the Fellows' Garden contains one of Cambridge's old mulberries.

Old Court has climbing hydrangeas on its walls. New Court's fine lawn is enhanced by annual bedding below the ground floor windows and in window boxes.

Visitor Access, Directions & Contacts

Access contact details

http://www.corpus.cam.ac.uk/index.shtml

History

Corpus Christi College was founded in 1352 by two town guilds, Corpus Christi and St. Mary, and is situated between the churches of St. Benet's and St. Mary's. Old Court was built around an irregular quadrangle and entered from Benet Street.

Associated People
Features & Designations

Features

  • College (featured building)
  • Earliest Date:
  • Latest Date:
  • Lawn
Key Information

Type

Garden

Principal Building

Education

Survival

Extant

Open to the public

Yes

References

References

Contributors

  • Cambridgeshire Gardens Trust