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Corpus Christi College

Said by some to have inspired Lewis Carroll, the gates of Corpus conceal winding passageways linking several distinctive quads filled with historical and botanical curiosities like pelican sundials, Kings’ gates and “fossil trees”. At the rear of the college sits the main garden with its huge copper beech, old town walls, and views over Christ church and its meadows.

Owner Info

  • Domestic Bursar
Garden Image will be updated soon

About Corpus Christi College

The garden is run on organic principles, with most garden waste composted on site, the use of peat-free potting media and organic fertilisers, and zero pesticides. Plants are propagated in house or sourced from local nurseries following similar principles, and herbs and fruit are used by the college kitchens. Even the weeds in the paving and paths are kept in check with an organic and biodegradable vinegar preparation. What is more, you won’t hear noisy, power-hungry machinery such as leaf-blowers or hedge-trimmers, just the clipping of shears, raking of gravel, and the occasional gentle hum of the mower at the height of summer.

This principle of welcoming and sustaining biodiversity has been at the heart of the garden for over forty years, receiving widespread acclaim and inspiring a Financial Times article in 2021. In an article about the gardens, written for the 2018 Pelican Record, David Leake said: ‘I often think that what you don’t do is as important as what you do. I like the way that plants have insinuated themselves into the garden without my help – the hollyhocks against the wall of the Front Quad, together with other little plants such as valerian (which attracts the hummingbird hawk moth), corydalis and the greater celandine, the flower of the patron saint of Oxford, St Frideswide. I like the oxeye daisies that grow in parts of the College lawn and that miraculously survive the trampling of the crowds who come to watch the tortoise race in summer. And I like the little daisy-like erigeron that grows under the walls of the Chapel and the JCR in the Gentleman Commoners’ Quad. They’ve all come in on their own: I might gently look after them but it is all chance.’

This spirit remains a guiding principle as the garden undergoes redevelopment and The Spencer Building nears completion. The blend of the formal setting of an academic institution with the relaxed softness of its surrounding gardens lends the college a unique and welcoming atmosphere that continues to provide sanctuary and inspiration to generations of staff and students.

Location details

Corpus Christi College,
Oxford,
Oxfordshire,
OX1 4JF

Directions to Corpus Christi College
Entrance from Merton St.

Corpus Christi College openings

This garden has now completed its National Garden Scheme openings for this year.

Accessibility

  • Wheelchair access with one slope in the garden.
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FAQs

Payment is by cash only. Please get in touch with the owners for more details.

Sorry, there is no available parking for coaches at Corpus Christi College at this time.

Sorry, no dogs are allowed in the garden at this time.

There are no plants for sale for the time being.

Yes, one or more routes at Corpus Christi College are accessible to wheelchair users.

Yes. Corpus Christi College seeks to offer a sustainable refuge for nearby fauna and wildlife. These sanctuaries host diverse habitats supporting indigenous flora and fauna and nurturing local biodiversity.