Corpus Christi College

The Old Court at Corpus Christi College dates to thirteen fifty-two, making it the oldest enclosed courtyard in Cambridge. Unlike the other colleges founded by royalty or bishops, this one grew from the contributions of two local town guilds. They wanted a place to train priests for their own parishes. The guilds pooled their money to buy up houses and shops, fitting their college into the cramped medieval street plan. The original stone walls still hold the marks of that early, crowded beginning.