Corpus Clock
Corpus Clock is one of the narrated stops on the self-guided Cambridge audio walking tour in Gingerguide. Plan about ~10 min here. Press play at the spot for its two to three minute story, or ask the AI guide anything about it.
- Type landmark
- Suggested visit ~10 min
- Cambridge Cambridge guide
About Corpus Clock
A mesmerising and unsettling timepiece featuring a mechanical grasshopper "Chronophage" that devours time, unveiled by Stephen Hawking in 2008.
The Corpus Clock is a large, gold-plated sculptural clock on the exterior of the Taylor Library at Corpus Christi College. Designed by John C. Taylor and unveiled by Stephen Hawking on 19 September 2008, it features a terrifying mechanical insect called the Chronophage ("time-eater") that appears to devour the passing minutes. The clock is deliberately inaccurate, only showing the correct time once every five minutes.
Did you know? The Chronophage ("time-eater") blinks, chews, and occasionally looks as though it is in pain, all to remind us that time destroys everything.
How long should you spend at Corpus Clock?
Plan about ~10 min at Corpus Clock. That is enough to take it in and hear its narrated story; stay longer if it grabs you. The tour is self-guided, so there is no rush.
Is Corpus Clock worth visiting?
Corpus Clock is one of the 12 sights the Gingerguide team researched and narrated in Cambridge, so it earns a place on a self-guided walk. Its story explains why it matters, and you can ask the AI guide anything the story leaves open.
Nearby stops in Cambridge
Hear the story of Corpus Clock
Preview the Cambridge tour free in the Gingerguide app.