Girton

During exam term in 1973, a NatSci undergrad became so fed up with the system that she simultaneously released Girton’s sheep into the college and spelt out FUCK YOU in manure across the Fellows’ Lawn. More recently, History undergrad Charlie Gilmour – son of David Gilmour, the guitarist of Pink Floyd fame – swung on the Union Flag on the Cenotaph during the 2010 student protests. He received a 16-month sentence for violent disorder but was still allowed to return to Girton, proving that there is literally nobody they will turn down.  

Corpus Christi

As if being named ‘Body of Christ’ didn’t provide enough supernatural overtones, Corpus is also supposedly home to a ghost called Henry Butts, a student who died after getting shut in a cupboard. The college also has its own hidden crypt with enough room for the bodies of over 20 former masters, the location of which was lost for many years, and has in recent times has had its showers haunted by a ‘phantom shitter’. Corpus is also home to an impressive collection of manuscripts, the ownership of which instantly transfers to the college’s old rival Caius if any significant items are lost. Oh, and apparently, following a particularly rowdy Chess Society social, legend has it one especially brash member found himself in a sticky situation after he stumbled into the Master’s Lodge and urinated on the Master’s wife. 

Wolfson

When the Singaporean businessman Lee Seng Tee dropped his daughter off at Wolfson on her first day, a college tutor in plant pathology offered to drive him back to the train station. On the journey, the tutor discovered that Dr Lee owned large pineapple plantations, the yields of which were threatened by a field disease. The tutor, given his specialism, organised an investigation into this disease, ultimately enabling Dr Lee to bring the situation under control. The fruitful relationship led Lee to donate large sums of money to the college, helping them to pursue ambitious building plans. The pineapple continues to be the college’s unofficial symbol to this day.

Selwyn

Formal hall is a staple of most colleges, but according to one anonymous Selwynite their odd twist is that at the end of every formal, the Master stands up, “says some Latin and we all scream – literally scream ‘Laus Deo’ – properly as loud as you fucking can.” On top of this, Selwyn has female drinking societies that being with S and “could be an innuendo”, such as the Swallows; and male drinking societies named after religious positions. The current Master of Selwyn is often seen around college with YoYo the bassett hound, who is officially classed as a ‘very large cat’ because the college rules prohibit the keeping of dogs.  

Queens’

Queens’ was the subject of a fly-on-the-wall documentary in the 1980s that led to one of the Law Fellows receiving a marriage proposal, and has an annual party held for the freshers by the students living in Stephen Fry’s old room. However, in more recent years, sporadic scandalous behaviour is not unheard of at this riverside college. In 2010, Queens’ Ents were suspended when a fire extinguisher was taken from a staircase in Cripps Court and sprayed over several kitchens and in fridges, and earlier this term there was quite the hurly-burly when Queens’ banned all Michaelmas bops after students vomited on the stonework in Cripps Court and urinated in the bushes in Lyon Court.

Trinity

Trinity may be steeped in history and prestige, but it doesn’t escape the oddness. John Whitgift, master from 1567-1577, liked to occasionally visit towns with a retinue of 800 horses. As you do.

Gonville and Caius

Reading through Caius’ Tips on Original Compositions, For Students of English, you will find a stipulation that non-literary material cannot be submitted. While this seemingly mundane regulation may not seem fishy at first, it exists because a floundering Caius undergrad once submitted an epigram carved into the flank of an “already overripe kipper”, causing “much official consternation.”

Emmanuel

Everyone knows about the ducks and free laundry at Emma, but it is also home to some odd traditions, such as ‘ponding’, an annual Freshers’ ritual (the less said the better). A college drinking society is named after a 17th century graduate Peregrine Bland who notably died after drowning in his own vomit. Adding to this illustrious history, doubts were raised by fellows about the appointment of Norman St John-Stevas as Master in 1991, when several of his friends were allegedly caught naked one night in the college’s outdoor swimming pool.

Clare

Two students are said to have had a bet about the number of stone balls on Clare Bridge. One claimed there were 16, the other was certain there were 18. The latter, when later discovering that he had lost, cut a chunk out of one of the stone orbs, which can still be seen today. Quite…ballsy, you could say…