Rattee and Kett

Corpus Christi College (St Benet’s)

History of Corpus Christi College

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 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.

General information about Corpus Christi College can be found on Wikipedia.

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There are three ghosts associated with the college:

• a charming little girl in a frilly white dress
• a sad Cavalier who sits slumped by the front door
• an elderly Puritan who stamps around the ground floor in a bad temper

The Cambridge Ghost Book, Halliday and Murdie, 2000, tells the story of Dr John Spencer, master of Corpus in 1667.  in 1688 his daughter, Elizabeth, fell in love with student, James Betts. Spencer disapproved of the relationship and Betts had to hide in a cupboard that could only be opened from the outside. Spencer took his daughter away from Corpus leaving Betts trapped in the cupboard. When Betts and his daughter returned to Cambridge no-one would open the cupboard. Elizabeth died in December of 1688, Spencer, just five years alter. When a new Master arrived, the cupboard was opened and a skeleton found inside.

In another story, Dr Butts was appointed Master in 1626. In 1632 Charles I visited Cambridge and it was customary to stage a play in front of a royal party. Dr Butts and Dr Comber, Master of Trinity, could not agree on a play, so two were shown. Dr Comber’s was a success; Dr Butts’s a flop which was booed by the audience. Dr Butts hanged himself ten days later.

The part of the college. the Old Lodge, where the two 17th century Masters had lived was converted in the 19th century to kitchens. After this took place numerous strange bangs and footsteps were heard. Apparitions were seen. Particularly frightening encounters were made by a student called Walter Moule in 1883, as well as by his uncle, Charles Moule, a senior fellow of the college. Both were traumatised but never fully revealed what had made them so.

In 1903 another student, Llewellyn Powys, saw an apparition of a man in Old Lodge. In 1904, the student Arthur Wade and friends, decided to carry out an exorcism in Old Lodge. An entity materialised which was seen by more students who had entered the room.

Evening News, 9 June 1937

The Freshman in Haunted Rooms

BUT in the midst of many fine charms I struck a very prosaic and startling manifestation, the Corpus Ghost, which had long been lying low. As account appeared in the Occult Review at the time (January, 1905), and since the war Mr Cyril Foley wrote an account in the “Sunday” papers, which I corrected as well as my memory would allow me twenty years after.

The notorious traditional ghost rooms in Corpus Christi College which had been closed as long as men could remember: staircasecases caused to a Freshman: a service of Exorcism performed by three, of whom I was once a manifestation, and the utter rout of the participants.

The tradition was that a certain Doctor Butts had hanged himself in those rooms with his garters after preaching the University sermon. The rooms had been occupied in the Nineteenth Century by a Mr. Moule, who had once crawled out on his hands and knees and, without giving reasons, had insisted that the rooms should be closed henceforth. They were closed for many years.

In 1904 when there was a full entry and an unfortunate Freshman was given them I forget his name, but after ten days he was in a pitiable condition and came round to King’s for aid, with a friend.

We offered first-aid on the spot and, under the guidance of a very High Church leader, proceeded to read the service of Exorcism in his rooms. We were locked in and illuminated only by firelight. An apparition was seen out of all the knees, and the Crucifix held by the central party was pulled so hard that the others had to hold his arms.

At the distance of time I can remember the enormous excitement caused in the University, and the firm tune that I felt my hair stand up. This can be a real experience, which is only describable to those who have felt it themselves while it is a dog when close to something uncanny.

All that is told in the Occult Review may be correct but, like the college itself, I have preferred to forget the incident and give no warning. I believe one should not interfere with these things: it is unsatisfactory to search for ghosts or converse with the dead. If they have anything to say, they will come to us. Rather they do; but sometimes with indubitable messages and not the connected rubbish of seances. But what happened at Corpus remains to me inexplicable.

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Henry Joseph Moule, the watercolour artist, was a student at the college circa 1850.

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Rattee and Kett were responsible for the life size figure of Archbishop Matthew Parker at Corpus Christi College.

A recent attraction has been the Corpus Clock which was unveiled in 2008 in the doorway to the former Westminster Bank.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corpus_Clock

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In 1939 excavations for an air-raid shelter revealed a cellar that may date from the 18th century and have been part of the Dolphin Inn.

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