The Chronophage's name is derived from the Greek words for 'time' and 'to eat'.
The clock is built into a 24-carat gold-plated stainless steel disc measuring 1.5 meters in diameter.
It does not use a pendulum; instead, it uses a massive, insect-like grasshopper escapement to regulate the movement.
The clock is set to the correct time only once every five minutes, representing the inaccuracies of human time-keeping.
The creator, John C. Taylor, donated the clock to the college in 2008.
When the clock is in motion, the Chronophage’s jaw periodically snaps shut to 'swallow' the light representing a second.
The face of the clock is textured with ripple patterns to mimic the Big Bang expansion.
There are no gears or hands behind the face; the light movement is controlled by a computer-driven system.
The Corpus Clock is a handless, large-scale public chronometer situated outside the Taylor Library at Corpus Christi College in Cambridge. Designed by Dr. John C. Taylor, it features a gold-plated stainless steel disc rather than traditional hands to indicate the passage of time. A monstrous, insect-like creature known as the 'Chronophage' sits atop the clock, rhythmically 'devouring' seconds. The clock face contains sixty LED-lit slits that track seconds, minutes, and hours using a pulsing light movement. The device is mechanically driven by a grasshopper escapement, which is visible through the glass. It is intended as a memento mori, visually reminding viewers of the relentless and finite nature of time. The clock does not display standard time; its movement varies in speed, occasionally stalling or accelerating to represent the subjective perception of time.
From the opposite side of the sidewalk on Trumpington Street to capture the full scale of the disc and the creature above.
Visit at night when the LED lights and the gold-plated details are more prominent against the dark street.
Look closely at the Chronophage to see it blink, which happens at irregular, non-mechanical intervals.
Listen for the subtle, rhythmic clicking sound of the escapement if the street is quiet.
Do not attempt to touch the glass casing, as it is a delicate mechanism.
