Christ’s College is just a stone’s throw from Cambridge Bus Station, and yet there is a sense of magical quiet when you enter. Gorgeous gardens hidden behind Restoration-period architecture speak of the scholarly depths of this esteemed college.
History
Founded in 1437 as ‘God’s House’, the college has been described as ‘the first secondary-school training college on record’. In 1875, Christ’s College Rugby Football Club was founded by the father of modern anthropology, Alfred Cort Haddon. Today, the college houses the Master, Fellows from a myriad of disciplines, and approximately 450 undergraduate and 250 graduate students.
Academic Prowess
The Tompkins Table (created in 1981) is an annual ranking reflecting the average undergraduate grades of students across all colleges. On aggregate, Christ’s came first during the first twenty years of the table’s existence. Statistics aside, Christ’s has a reputation for the very highest academic standards.
Inside Perspective
Unlike many other Cambridge colleges, Christ’s buttery is separate from its hall, and this serves to heighten the sense of occasion when its students join together for formal dinners. After the annual Scholars’ Dinner, students hold hands while dancing around the Mulberry Tree at night. Only 5 Cambridge colleges can boast of a swimming pool, and Christ’s College is one of them. Known as the ‘Malcolm Bowie Bathing Pool’, and dating from the mid-17th century, this is considered to be the oldest outdoor swimming pool in the UK. The other four colleges with swimming pools are Clare Hall, Corpus Christi, Emmanuel, and Girton. The Marguerites Club, one the oldest surviving College societies, was originally only open to sports captains, but is now known as a drinking society that recognises sporting excellence more broadly. Christ’s College Association Football Club has won the inter-collegiate competition more than any other college.
Notable Alumni
Through history Christ College’s former students have risen to the top of many fields, but particularly famous alumni include John Milton (poet and civil servant), William Paley (clergyman), Charles Darwin (biologist, geologist, and naturalist), J Robert Oppenheimer (theoretical physicist), Simon Schama (historian and TV presenter), Rowan Williams (Archbishop of Canterbury), and Sacha Baron Cohen (actor and comedian).
Rankings
In 2022, Christ’s came 1st with a score of 76.4 and 46.1% of its students achieving a First.
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