Corpus Clock

The Corpus Clock sits on the outer wall of the Taylor Library at Corpus Christi College and shows the time through glowing slits on a large brass disc. The disc is roughly 5 feet (1.5 meters) wide and has no hands or numbers, instead using blue LED lights arranged in concentric rings.

John C. Taylor designed the timepiece following his own concept and presented it in a public ceremony in 2008. The work was meant to recall the long tradition of precision timekeeping in Cambridge while also representing the fleeting nature of time.

The name Chronophage means time eater and refers to the insect crawling across the dial. The creature moves forward in jerks and appears to devour seconds as it opens and closes its mouth and claws.

The timepiece stands on Trumpington Street and is visible from outside at any time without entering the college. The pavement offers a level surface so wheelchair users can approach closely to view the mechanism up close.

The timepiece deliberately runs irregularly forward and backward to show that time never flows evenly. About once per minute the mechanism briefly stops before continuing as if blocked by an invisible force.

Location: Cambridge

Creator: John Taylor

Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible

GPS coordinates: 52.20376,0.11765

Latest update: December 14, 2025 18:10