Christ Church
A clichéd image of Oxford and the University, Tom Tower in Tom Quad in Christ Church looks odd when photographed from low angles at dusk
Christ Church is a college of the University of Oxford. It is the only Oxbridge college to have a cathedral instead of a chapel, and also has the largest quad in either university. It is referred to colloquially as “The House” after its Latin name, Aedes Christi, which means “House of Christ”. This name is used to distinguish it from Corpus Christi next door (“The Toilet of Christ”, aka “The Wendyhouse”).
Features
The big quad is called Tom Quad, and contains Tom Tower, which in turn contains Tom Bell, whose most annoying (and indeed only) habit is to ring. It does so at eight o’clock sharp every morning, thus inhibiting lie-ins, and, most annoyingly, for about five minutes at 21:05 every evening when it rings out 101 chimes to call back the 101 original members of the college before the gates close. They’ve still not arrived.
In order to further attempt to gain superiority, Christ Church has the most archaic and obscure system of administrative officials in any university. The Dean is Dean not of the college, but the cathedral, and the Censors do what most people think a Dean does. Then there are Stewards, who do something, and finally, the college is looked over by both Porters and Custodians (the ones in the bowler hats) for no readily apparent reason.
Statto attend Christ Church, where he is studying for a degree in physics. All of Statto’s university accomodation has been provided by them.
College grace
Every evening before formal hall, grace is said by a scholar of The House. A rather jaunty Latin affair, it runs
Nos, miseri homines et egeni, pro cibis quos nobis ad corporis subsidium, benigne es largitus. Tibi, Deus Omnipotens, Pater Caelestis, gratias reverenter agimus. Simul obsecrantes, ut iis sobrie, modeste atque grate utamur. Per Jesum Christum Dominum Nostrum.
It is traditional to follow this with “Amen.”
The coldest recorded copy of the grace was held at 77K (—196°C, the boiling point of nitrogen) by Statto on 11th November 2004 in an attempt to make insignificant history.
Notable Junior Members
- Statto
- Charles Markland
- Chloë Beech
- Tim Parker
Notable Alumni
999
Links
- Christ Church The official website.
- University of Oxford The other official website.