by Janis / 0 comments - Orginally published:16th February 2018
Knights, Wigs & Inns
This is an area of London that Gary and I am often drawn to for various reasons.
Despite mentioning Bars and Inns, this story is without alcohol.
Firstly, the intrigue of the Knights Templar and secondly, the maze of flagstone lanes hidden behind ancient wooden doors at the Inns of Court and the barrister’s chambers.
Why not Pin it for later?
Where is Location?
How to get to Location
- By Tube
You are in 'Zone One' and the nearest stations are Barbican and Farringdon on the Metropolitan , Circle and Hammersmith & City lines or Holborn and St Paul's on the Central .
Don’t forget if you have a contactless bank card, or a card assigned to your phone you tap and pay with that. (For more check out the TFL site(Transport for London))
A walk through London's history
Order!This legal district of London has been prominent in British law since the late Middle Ages, and thankfully, the Great Fire of London in 1666 didn't quite reach this far.
Middle Temple
A little London Trivia
Who moved the Bar?One structure that survived was the Baroque-style Temple Bar Gate, designed by Christopher Wren. However, King Charles II commissioned a new gate in 1672, which was attributed to Sir Christopher Wren. This gate marked the entrance to the City of London from the West.
The Relocated Temple Bar Gate
Due to increased traffic flow, in 1878, Temple Bar was dismantled. Bizarrely, it was then purchased and erected on an estate in Hertfordshire, where it remained until 2003.
Due to its importance, in 2004, it was restored and re-erected at the entrance of Paternoster Square next to St Paul’s Cathedral.
Explore London on foot
If you enjoy finding out a little more about London's districts, take a look at the articles we created for the different regions we've explored, all easily discovered on foot.
Legal London
Can you hear the gavel?In place of where Temple Bar gate originally stood is a memorial designed by Horace Jones, an architect famed for the design of Tower Bridge and many of London’s markets, including Leadenhall.
Temple Bar
This point also marks where Fleet Street ends, and the Strand begins, and where the Royal Courts of Justice was built in 1882.
The Royal Courts of Justice
Discovering London
Watch your heels!While strolling around this area, you’ll notice an odd barrister or two, in their wigs and flowing robes.
Another world - Inner Temple
The lanes in Inner Temple
You may even get run down by a young legal hopeful, wheeling a trolley full of documents between chambers.
Inside Middle Temple
You really are in the heart of the legal district and where the historic Inns of Court are located.
We have a little book on our shelves that we sometimes delve into when we're about to hit an area of London.
Packed full of historical facts, and broken down into the different regions of London, it's a great resource to help you see what's hidden in plain sight.
Available in Kindle & Hardback editions, it's an excellent addition to anyone's collection who loves London.
A hidden gem in London
Lincoln & GrayThe Inns of Court are made up of four professional associations for barristers.
The four Inns are; Lincoln's Inn & Gray’s Inn, which are north of Fleet Street and come under the boundary of the London Borough of Camden and Inner Temple & Middle Temple, which are south of Fleet Street and come under the edge of the City of London. All of which have their own coat of arms.
Grays Inn Square
You are free to wander through the Inns of Court and come across chapels, gardens, statues and history just lying at your feet.
Lincoln’s Inn is the largest and can trace its records back to 1422 and Gray’s Inn to 1569.
A statue to Francis Bacon in Grays Inn
There are other Inns that have been incorporated into the main four, such as Staple Inn.
A gate to Staple Inn
You'll find purveyors of the finest legal paraphernalia.
Ede & Ravenscroft Ltd
Where to stay in London
You may be surprised, but you stay within easy walking distance of Temple. This can be your base to discover the City of London, the West End, and much more besides.
There are plenty of choices, why not check out Booking.com for something that suits your requirements?
London's little treasures
Is this really the 21st century?However, the most intriguing Inns of Court are around Inner & Middle Temple; lawyers have been in this district since 1320.
Prince Henry's Room
The grand entrance to Innter Temple
Here, you will find tiny clandestine alleyways, hidden courtyards, and gas lamps, and you will really feel like you have entered another world.
A gas lamp in Temple Gardens
If you've yet to discover London and its ancient history, then let's start planning. I find these DK Eyewitness Travel Guides invaluable. They're extremely informative, easy to follow, and the pictures and maps tempt you into discovering more of those fascinating sites.
You can now grab a recently revised copy of this guidebook, so you won't miss a thing.
Exploring London
9 to 5Often this area of London gets missed by visitors, mainly as you can only access some of the courtyards, gardens and lanes during the working weekday.
Temple Station Underground
Tube Station Walks
We love to explore London on foot; a great way to break it into bite-sized pieces is to pick an underground station.
Why not browse our posts on tube station walks to find out what we uncovered in different districts?
Historic London
Knights take commandSome of the large wooden doors that you pass through almost make the area appear private property. However, you’ll head down to Temple Church through one of these doors.
The Temple Church
The church was built by the Knights Templar, the soldier-monks who protected pilgrims to the Holy Land during the Crusades.
The Temple Church in Inner Temple
The oldest and most distinctive part of the church is the round nave, which was consecrated in 1185, believed to be in the presence of King Henry II.
The second section, the chancel, was added to the Round Church half a century later.
Inside Temple Church
View from AboveTemple Church has been greatly restored due to Second World War bomb damage.
The round church is 55ft in diameter, and you are able to climb the winding steps to the top and look down upon the chancel through the arched gallery.
Inside the Temple Church
Looking down inside the Temple Church
Among the knights who would be buried in the Round, was William Marshal, Earl of Pembroke (died 1219), an adviser to King John and regent to Henry III. His sons’ effigies lie around his own.
The Tomb of Knight William Marshal
This peaceful part of London is definitely worth a visit; you’ll feel like you have stepped back in time.
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