89-749: The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple , commonly known as the Inner Temple , is one of the four Inns of Court and is a professional association for barristers and judges. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales , a person must belong to one of these Inns. It is located in the wider Temple area, near the Royal Courts of Justice , and within the City of London . As
178-519: A Reader , who traditionally holds the position for a year before being appointed as Treasurer; the Reader for 2023 is Richard Salter KC . The Inner Temple was historically governed by a Treasurer and three Governors. Members were divided into two categories; Clerks ( Clerici ) admitted to Clerks' Commons and Fellows ( Socii ) admitted to Fellows' Commons. The Governors held Parliament with a small group of senior barristers; in 1508, for example, Parliament
267-698: A liberty , it functions largely as an independent local government authority. The Inn is a professional body that provides legal training, selection, and regulation for members. It is ruled by a governing council called "Parliament", made up of the Masters of the Bench (or " Benchers "), and led by the Treasurer , who is elected to serve a one-year term. The Temple takes its name from the Knights Templar , who originally (until their abolition in 1312) leased
356-609: A pump , the water of which was noted in the 19th century for its purity. King's Bench Walk has contained buildings since at least 1543, although these were burnt down in the Great Fire of London in 1666 and their replacements destroyed in another fire in 1677. The buildings take their name from the Office of the King's Bench , which was situated in the row and destroyed in the 1677 fire. Buildings were reconstructed in 1678 and 1684, and
445-490: A case against Dudley and to offer him their legal services whenever required. This pledge was always honoured, and in 1576 the Inner Temple Parliament referred to Dudley as the "chief governor of this House". The play was partially documented by Gerard Legh in his Accedens of Armory , a book of heraldry woodcuts, which described Dudley's role as Prince Pallaphilos, the lieutenant of Athena and Patron of
534-470: A church or chapel attached to it and is a self-contained precinct where barristers traditionally train and practise. However, growth in the legal profession , together with a desire to practise from more modern accommodations and buildings with lower rents, caused many barristers' chambers to move outside the precincts of the Inns of Court in the late 20th century. During the 12th and early 13th centuries, law
623-704: A coffee pot in 1788 and an "argyle" or gravy holder in 1790. The Inner Temple contains many buildings, some modern and some ancient, although only Temple Church dates back to the time of the Knights Templars who originally inhabited the site. The Inn contains several buildings and sets of buildings used to house barristers' chambers , with those rooms above the second floor generally being residential in nature. The sets are Crown Office Row, Dr Johnson's Buildings, Farrar's Building, Francis Taylor Building, Harcourt Buildings, Hare Court, King's Bench Walk, Littleton Building, Mitre Court Buildings, Paper Buildings and
712-470: A compulsory condition of licensure. Neither voluntary professional associations (including the American Inns of Court) nor mandatory bar associations typically have any role in training or licensing of law students that would be comparable to that function of the four English Inns of Court in selection and training of new barristers. While the American Inns of Court share a collegial relationship with
801-457: A design by Hubert Worthington . Hare Court was named after Nicholas Hare, who built the first set in 1567. The west and south sides were destroyed in the fire of 1678. On 31 May 1679 orders were given to replace the west side with four new buildings three storeys high, which were funded by the Treasurer (Thomas Hanmer) and the tenants at the time, including Judge Jeffreys . The Court features
890-576: A design by Robert Smirke . While constructing it the labourers found a hoard of 67 guineas dated from the reigns of monarchs from Charles II to George II , which were confiscated by the Clerk of the Works. Paper Buildings are on the site of Heyward's Buildings, constructed in 1610. The "paper" part of the name comes from the fact that they were built from timber, lath and plaster, a construction method known as "paperwork". A fire in 1838 destroyed three of
979-526: A knight on horseback with a shield and sword raised. From this point onwards, the arms were considered the Temple's property, and they were confirmed by the College of Arms in 1967. Inner Temple (together with the neighbouring Middle Temple ) is also one of the few remaining liberties , an old name for a type of administrative division. It is an independent extra-parochial area , historically not governed by
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#17327731551301068-406: A local law school, and another may be associated with a specific field of legal practice. American Inns of Court do not possess any real property. They are groups of judges, practising attorneys, law professors and students who meet regularly (usually monthly) to discuss and debate issues relating to legal ethics and professionalism. American Inn of Court meetings typically consist of a shared meal and
1157-752: A movement to create Inns of Court in the United States, loosely modelled after the traditional English Inns. In 1985, he and others established the American Inns of Court Foundation to promote and formally charter local Inns of Court across the United States. Each local Inn is devoted to promoting professionalism, civility, ethics, and legal skills amongst the American bench and bar, in a collegial setting, through continuing education and mentoring. At present, each major American city has more than one Inn of Court; for example, one Inn may be affiliated with
1246-408: A noted inhabitant of these early constructs was Lord Mansfield . The current buildings date from the first, 1678 construction to, most recently, chambers built in 1948. Mitre Court Buildings are on the site of Fuller's Rents, constructed in 1562 by John Fuller, the Temple's Treasurer. Noted residents of chambers here included Sir Edward Coke . Mitre Court was erected on the site in 1830, and based on
1335-481: A particular inn because he or she knows someone already a member, or it has a student association at their university. The inns' disciplinary functions are carried out by a joint Council of the Inns of Court, which administers the disciplinary tribunals. Barristers are prosecuted by the Bar Standards Board . The four inns are located near one another in central London, near the western boundary of
1424-514: A programme presented by one of the Inn's pupillage teams. The U.S. does not require attorneys to be members of an Inn of Court, and many of the equivalent functions are performed by state bar associations . Some states require attorneys to belong to the official bar association, e.g., the State Bar of Michigan, while other states, such as Illinois, do not make membership of an official bar association
1513-590: A result of the Inn's outdated systems; the same water was used both for drinking and for flushing the toilet, for example. In 1922 the Temple called Ivy Williams to the bar, making her the first female barrister in England and Wales. The Temple suffered massively during The Blitz in the Second World War, including attacks on 19 September and 26 September 1940, which destroyed the Library clocktower and
1602-573: A small class of senior barristers called serjeants-at-law , who were selected from the members of the other four inns and had exclusive rights of audience in certain Courts. Their pre-eminence was affected by the new rank of King's Counsel , which was granted to barristers who were not serjeants. The serjeant's privileges were withdrawn by the government in the 19th century, no more serjeants were appointed, and they eventually died out. The area now known as Serjeants' Inn, one of two sites formerly occupied by
1691-487: Is not owned by the Inn) is reputed to have been the council chambers of Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales and Charles, Prince of Wales, later Charles I . The original Knights' Templar Hall was replaced in the fourteenth or fifteenth century. It was extensively repaired in 1606 and 1629, but was still in poor condition in 1816. Despite this, little was done at that time but replacing the timbers which had gone rotten and patching
1780-420: Is noted for its collection of silver and pewter plate , described in the early 20th century as similar in value to that of Oxford or Cambridge University . The first reference to plate is in 1534, with a silver cup left to the Temple as part of the estate of a Master Sutton. Further pieces were added over the next century, with Robert Bowes giving a silver gilt cup to Sir John Baker in 1552. The cup, which
1869-541: Is one of the four Inns of Court , along with Gray's Inn , Lincoln's Inn , and the Middle Temple . The Inns are responsible for training, regulating, and selecting barristers within England and Wales , and are the only bodies allowed to call a barrister to the Bar and allow him or her to practice. The Inner Temple is an independent, unincorporated organisation, and works as a trust . It has approximately 8,000 members and around 450 apply to join per year. Although
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#17327731551301958-409: Is similar to that of an Oxbridge college. The chambers were originally used as residences as well as business premises by many of the barristers, but today they serve as offices with only a small number of apartments. Another important inn, Serjeants' Inn , was dissolved in 1877 and its assets were, controversially, distributed amongst the existing members. The membership of the Inn had consisted of
2047-535: The Bar Professional Training Course , but do provide supplementary education during the 'Bar School' year, pupillage and the early years of practice. All prospective Bar School students must be a member of one of the four Inns, and must attend ten (formerly twelve) 'qualifying sessions' before being eligible to qualify as a barrister. Qualifying sessions traditionally comprise formal dinners followed by law-related talks, but increasingly
2136-480: The City of London . Nearby are the Royal Courts of Justice , which were moved for convenience from Westminster Hall to the legal quarter of London in 1882. Middle Temple and Inner Temple are liberties of the City of London, which means they are within the historic boundaries of the City but are not subject to its jurisdiction. They operate as their own local authorities. These two Inns neighbour each other and occupy
2225-524: The City of London Corporation (and is today regarded as a local authority for most purposes) and equally outside the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Bishop of London . The Inner Temple's functions as a local council are set out in the Temples Order 1971 . It geographically falls within the boundaries and liberties of the City, but can be thought of as an independent enclave . The Inner Temple
2314-561: The Great Fire of London , but a replacement was built in 1668. A second, smaller fire in 1679 necessitated the destruction of one library building to act as a firebreak and save the hall. In 1707 the Inner Temple was offered the Petyt Manuscripts and a sum of £150 to build a new Library, which was completed in 1709 and consisted of three rooms. A Librarian was appointed immediately, and the practice continues to this day. Modifications were made in 1867, 1872 and 1882 which extended
2403-543: The legal terms . Prior to the outbreak of the English Civil War in 1642, this training lasted at least seven years; subsequently, the Inns focused their residency requirements on dining together in the company of experienced barristers, to enable learning through contact and networking with experts. In the mid-18th century the common law was first recognised as a subject for study in the universities, and by 1872 bar examinations became compulsory for entry into
2492-484: The 18th century, the following 100 years saw a restoration of the Temple's fortunes, with buildings constructed or restored, such as the Hall and the Library. Much of this work was destroyed during The Blitz , when the Hall, Temple, Temple Church , and many sets of barristers' chambers were devastated. Rebuilding was completed in 1959, and today the Temple is an active Inn of Court with over 8,000 members. The Inner Temple
2581-555: The English Inns, there is no formal or legal relationship. A Declaration of Friendship was signed by the English and American Inns of Court, establishing visitation procedures under which American Inn members can acquire a letter of introduction that will officially introduce them to the Inns in England and Ireland, with reciprocal procedures available for English and Irish barristers. An annual six-week exchange program, known as
2670-475: The Hall respectively; on 10–11 May 1941 the Inn was hit by a series of incendiaries which destroyed the inside of Temple Church, the Hall, the Library and many sets of chambers. Fires continued to burn for another day, despite the assistance of the Fire Brigade and several barristers and employees. It was decided not to start rebuilding until after the cessation of hostilities, and plans began in 1944, when
2759-412: The Hall, Library and Benchers' Chambers. The original Library existed from at least 1506, and consisted of a single room. This was not a dedicated library, as it was also used for dining when there were too many barristers for the hall, and later for moots . By 1607 a second room had been added, and Edward Coke donated a copy of his Reports for the library a year later. The Library of the Inner Temple
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2848-568: The Inn was previously a disciplinary and teaching body, these functions are now shared between the four Inns, with the Bar Standards Board (a division of the General Council of the Bar ) acting as a disciplinary body and the Inns of Court and Bar Educational Trust providing education. The history of the Inner Temple begins in the early years of the reign of Henry II (1154–1189), when the contingent of Knights Templar in London moved from
2937-471: The Inner Temple area, Serjeant's Inn and Fleet Street, is occupied as barristers' chambers, residential flats and more recently, solicitors. The Inner Temple is governed by the Parliament, an executive council made up of the elected Benchers . The Parliament is led by the Treasurer, who is elected annually to serve a one-year term; the Treasurer for 2023 is Sir Robert Francis KC. The Inner Temple also has
3026-610: The Inner Temple is, in blazon , " Azure a pegasus salient argent ", or a Pegasus . Gerard Legh is normally given the credit for having suggested the Pegasus as a coat of arms, having given an account of Robert Dudley playing the part of Prince Pallaphilos, a patron of the Honorable Order of Pegasus in the 1561 Christmas revels . It may alternately have come about because of the tiles in Temple Church, which show
3115-672: The Inner Temple); Strand Inn and New Inn (attached to the Middle Temple); Furnival's Inn and Thavie's Inn (attached to Lincoln's Inn); and Staple Inn and Barnard's Inn (attached to Gray's Inn). There is also an Inn of Court of Northern Ireland . In the Republic of Ireland , there is only one Inn of Court, the Honorable Society of King's Inns . From the late 1970s, U.S. Chief Justice Warren Burger led
3204-515: The Inner Temple. The Hospitallers' properties were confiscated and given to Henry VIII by a statute of 1539/40. The Benchers of the Inn then attorned to the crown and were tenants until 1608. Following a Scotsman's request to purchase the land, the Inner and Middle Temples appealed to James I , who granted the land to a group of noted lawyers and Benchers , including Henry Montague and Sir Julius Caesar , and to "their heirs and assignees for ever" on
3293-455: The Inner Temple. An order was sent directly to the Benchers proclaiming that no "pson eyther convented or suspected for papistrye shulde be called eyther to the benche or to the barre", and at the same time Benchers were selected specifically because of their Protestant beliefs, with popular and successful Catholics held back. This period also features an example of the independent standing of
3382-593: The Inns of Court have rallied to the defence of the realm during times of crisis. That tradition continues to the present, in that 10 Stone Buildings in Lincoln's Inn has been the permanent home of the Inns of Court & City Yeomanry since the building was freed up by the abolition of the Clerks of Chancery in 1842. Each of the four Inns of Court has three ordinary grades of membership: students, barristers, and masters of
3471-434: The Inns of Court include Gorboduc , Gismund of Salerne (1561), and The Misfortunes of Arthur (1588). An example of a famous masque put on by the Inns was James Shirley ’s The Triumph of Peace (1634). Shakespeare ’s The Comedy of Errors ( c. 1594 ) and Twelfth Night ( c. 1602 ) were also performed at the Inns, although written for commercial theatre. Since at least 1584, members of
3560-452: The Inns which they joined as students and belonged to as barristers. This has had the effect of making the majority of the Masters of the Bench senior judges, either because they become benchers when appointed as judges, or because they become judges after being appointed as benchers. There were also several Inns of Chancery . These are not Inns of Court but are associated to them: Clement's Inn , Clifford's Inn and Lyon's Inn (attached to
3649-403: The Library to eight rooms A new Library was built on the site of the old one in the 19th century, with the north wing being completed in 1882, and contained 26,000 law volumes, as well as 36,000 historical and architectural texts. This building was destroyed during the Second World War, and although some of the rarest manuscripts had been moved off site, 45,000 books were lost. A replacement Library
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3738-751: The Master of the Garden, Oliver Sells QC. In 1870 Robert Marnock re-designed the Inner Temple Garden. The Gateway, at the top of Inner Temple Lane on Fleet Street , is thought to have existed in the same location since the founding of the Temples by the Knights Templar. It was rebuilt in 1610 by John Bennett, the King's Serjeant-at-Arms , and again rebuilt in 1748. The building above it (which
3827-516: The Master's House next to the church, a Georgian townhouse built in 1764. Inns of Court The Inns of Court in London are the professional associations for barristers in England and Wales . There are four Inns of Court: Gray's Inn , Lincoln's Inn , Inner Temple and Middle Temple . All barristers must belong to one of them. They have supervisory and disciplinary functions over their members. The Inns also provide libraries, dining facilities and professional accommodation. Each also has
3916-684: The Old Temple in Holborn to a new location on the banks of the River Thames , stretching from Fleet Street to what is now Essex House . The original Temple covered much of what is now the northern part of Chancery Lane (originally New Street), which the Knights created to provide access to their new buildings. The old Temple eventually became the London palace of the Bishop of Lincoln. After
4005-557: The Order of the Pegasus. The Inner Temple continued to expand during the reigns of James I and Charles I , with 1,700 students admitted to the Inn between 1600 and 1640. The outbreak of the First English Civil War led to a complete suspension of legal education, with the Inns almost shut down for nearly four years; the Inns "suffered a mortal collapse". Nothing was done to adapt the old system of legal education, which
4094-526: The Pegasus Scholarships, was created to provide for young English barristers to travel to the United States, and young American Inn of Court members to travel to London, to learn about the legal system of the other jurisdiction. Earl of Southampton Earl of Southampton was a title that was created three times in the Peerage of England . Its first creation came in 1537 in favour of
4183-627: The Reformation it became the home of the Earl of Southampton , and the location is now named Southampton Buildings. The first group of lawyers came to live here during the 13th century, although as legal advisers to the Knights rather than as a society. The Knights fell out of favour, and the order was dissolved in 1312, with the land seized by the king and later granted to the Knights Hospitaller . The Hospitallers probably did not live on
4272-519: The Serjeants (the other being in Chancery Lane), was purchased by the Inner Temple in 2002. It was formerly the custom for senior judges to join Serjeants' Inn, thereby leaving the Inn in which they had practised as barristers. This meant that the Masters of the Bench of the four barristers' Inns of Court were mostly themselves barristers. Since there is now no Serjeants' Inn, judges remain in
4361-539: The Temple contacted the War Damage Commission to provide the £1.5 million to cover the damage. £1.4 million was provided, with the rest found elsewhere. There was a further delay due to the Temple's choice of architect, Hubert Worthington , who was so slow that the Benchers ended up replacing him with his junior associate, T.W. Sutcliffe, and eventually Sir Edward Maufe . The chambers were the priority, with parts of King's Bench Walk finished in 1949, and
4450-659: The Temple went from thence to the Savoy, destroying in their way all the houses that belonged to the Hospital of St. John. John Baker thinks that the inhabitants took the opportunity to rebuild much of the Temple, and that this was when the Temple's Hall was built, since it contained 14th century roofing that would not have been available to the Knights Templar. The Inns of Court were similarly attacked in Jack Cade 's rebellion, although there are no specific records showing damage to
4539-564: The Temple, fifty of whom brought a lavish feast for the revellers. At the start of the next legal term, two Dukes including the Duke of York, two Earls and two Lords were admitted as members, and the Duke of York was called to the Bar and made an honorary Bencher. During the rule of the House of Stuart , much was done by the Court of Star Chamber to enforce religious edicts against Catholicism within
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#17327731551304628-596: The Temple; in 1668 the Lord Mayor of London attempted to enter the Temple with his sword, something that was his right in the City but not permitted within the Temple. The students took his sword and forced him to spend the night in a set of chambers; when he escaped and tried to return, they called the Trained Bands . The Mayor complained to the King, who heard the case on 7 April 1669 and decided to allow it to be determined by law rather than by his royal privilege;
4717-399: The bench or " benchers ". The benchers constitute the governing body for each Inn and appoint new members from among existing barrister members. As a rule, any barrister member of the inn is eligible for appointment. In practice, appointments are made of senior members of the Bar, usually KCs , or High Court judges or those who carry out work on behalf of the Inn, be it on committees or through
4806-420: The buildings, which were immediately replaced with a design by Robert Smirke, with Sydney Smirke later adding two more buildings. A famous resident of (at the time) Heyward's Buildings was John Selden , who was one of the original tenants and shared a set of chambers with Heyward himself. Inner Temple Gardens were laid out around 1601, with a set of decorated railings added in 1618 with the Temple's pegasus and
4895-520: The centuries, the four Inns of Court became where barristers were trained, while the more numerous Inns of Chancery – which were initially affiliated to the Inns of Court – became associated with the training of solicitors in the Elizabethan era . The four Inns of Court are: Lawyers have lived and worked in the Temple since 1320. In 1337 the premises were divided into the Inner Temple, where
4984-563: The churche, tooke out all the bookes and remembrances that were m the hatches of the prentices of the law, carried them into the high street, and there burnt them. This house they spoyled for wrathe they bare to the prior of St. John's, unto whom it belonged, and, after a number of them had sacked this Temple, what with labour and what with wine being overcome, they lay down under the walls and housing,, and were slain like swyne, one of them killing another for old grudge and hatred, and others also made quick dispatch of them. A number of them that burnt
5073-402: The condition that the Inner and Middle Temples each paid him £10 a year. The Elizabethan age saw a large amount of rebuilding and beautification within the Temple, and with over 100 sets of chambers it was the second largest Inn (after Gray's Inn ), with 155 residential students reported in 1574. In winter 1561, the Inner Temple was the scene of an extraordinary set of revels that celebrated
5162-609: The core of the Temple area. The closest Tube station is Temple . Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn are in the London Borough of Camden (formerly in the Borough of Holborn ) near the boundary with the City of London. They do not have the status of a local authority. The nearest Tube station is Chancery Lane . Each Inn is a substantial complex with a great hall , chapel, libraries, sets of chambers for many hundreds of barristers, and gardens, and covers several acres. The layout
5251-482: The courtier William FitzWilliam . He was childless and the title became extinct on his death in 1542. Its second creation came in 1547 in favour of the politician Thomas Wriothesley, 1st Baron Wriothesley , Lord Chancellor between 1544 and 1547. He had already been created Baron Wriothesley (pronounced "rose ley" /ˈroʊzli/) in 1544, also in the Peerage of England. He was succeeded by his third but only surviving son,
5340-490: The crumbling walls with brick. As a result of the poor condition and the increasing numbers of barristers, it was demolished in 1868. Its replacement was a larger hall in the Gothic style , designed by Sydney Smirke , which was opened on 14 May 1870 by Princess Louise . The new Hall was 94 feet long, 41 feet wide and 40 feet high, with glass windows featuring the coats of arms of noted Treasurers from 1506 onwards running around
5429-612: The eastern side of Temple Gardens. Crown Office Row was named after the Crown Office, which used to sit on the site and was removed in 1621. The first building (described by Charles Dugdale as "the Great Brick Building over against the Garden") was constructed in 1628, and completely replaced in 1737. The current buildings were designed and built by Sir Edward Maufe . Charles Lamb was born in No. 2 Crown Office Row, which
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#17327731551305518-516: The fall of the Templars the church, along with the rest of the Temple, fell into the hands of the Knights Hospitaller , and from there passed to Henry VIII , who appointed a priest, known as the Master of the Temple. The Royal Charter granted by James I that guaranteed the independence of the Inner and Middle Temples did so on the condition that the Temples maintain the church, a requirement which has been followed to this day. Both societies also own
5607-508: The final building (the Library) was opened on 21 April 1958. In 2001 the Inner Temple bought the neighbouring 1–2 Serjeant's Inn , which can be accessed directly from the Inner Temple, with the intention of converting it to barristers' chambers. However, instead, the premises has been let on a 99-year lease to Apex Hotels. No. 3 Serjeant's Inn has been a barristers' chambers, occupying commercial premises, since 1986. Mitre Court, which connects
5696-408: The griffin of Gray's Inn , a sign of the strong relationship between the two; the design was included in the new iron gates made in 1730, which are still present. The gardens contain various landmarks, including a sundial from 1707 by Edward Strong the Elder , a pair of cisterns dated from 1730 and a lead statute of a blackmoor by John Nost , which was transferred from Clifford's Inn when Clifford's
5785-453: The inns offer training weekends that may count for several sessions' worth of attendance. The Inns still retain the sole right to call qualified students to the bar, which is associated with a graduation ceremony ('Call Day'). Prospective students may choose which Inn to apply to for membership, but can only apply to one Inn for scholarships. It makes no long-term difference which Inn a barrister joins; an applicant might, for example, choose
5874-439: The land to the Temple's inhabitants (Templars). The Inner Temple was a distinct society from at least 1388, although as with all the Inns of Court its precise date of founding is not known. After a disrupted early period (during which the Temple was almost entirely destroyed in the Peasants' Revolt ) it flourished, becoming the second-largest Inn during the Elizabethan period (after Gray's Inn ). The Inner Temple expanded during
5963-554: The lawyers resided, and Middle Temple, which was also occupied by lawyers by 1346. Lincoln's Inn, the largest, is able to trace its official records to 1422. The records of Gray's Inn begin in 1569, but teaching is thought to have begun there in the late-fourteenth century. In 1620 a meeting of senior judges decided that all four Inns would be equal in order of precedence . In the 16th century and earlier, students or apprentices learned their craft primarily by attending court sessions and by sharing both accommodation and education during
6052-429: The lawyers returned to the principle that the Temple could set its own internal rules on the right to carry swords. Much of the Inn was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666, and extensive damage was done in other fires in 1677 and 1678. One of these fires destroyed Caesar's Buildings, on Middle Temple Lane where Lamb Buildings now stand, and the site was purchased by Middle Temple from Inner Temple, which needed
6141-416: The proceeds to repair or rebuild other buildings. The 18th century was a period of relative stability, with an element of decline. The Benchers of the time were described as "opposed to all modern fashions, including new-fangled comforts", with the Inn's buildings deteriorating. Much of the Temple was rebuilt during the 19th century, most noticeably the Hall and Library, although fever and disease continued as
6230-581: The profession of law. The Inns played an important role in the history of the English Renaissance theatre . Notable literary figures and playwrights who resided in the Inns of Court included John Donne (1572-1631), Francis Beaumont (1584-1616), John Marston (1576-1634), Thomas Lodge ( c. 1558 -1625), Thomas Campion (1567-1620), Abraham Fraunce ( c. 1559- c. 1593), Sir Philip Sidney (1554-1586), Sir Thomas More (1478-1535), Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626), and George Gascoigne ( c. 1535 -1577). Plays written and performed in
6319-411: The property, but rather used it as a source of revenue through rent. The secular, common law lawyers migrated to the hamlet of Holborn , as it was easy to get to the law courts at Westminster Hall and was just outside the City. Two groups occupied the Hospitaller land, and became known as the "inner inn" (occupying the consecrated buildings near the centre of the Temple) and the "middle inn" (occupying
6408-434: The raising of Robert Dudley as the Temple's "Christmas Prince", a role he was granted in gratitude for his intervention in a dispute with the Middle Temple over Lyon's Inn , one of the Inns of Chancery that had historically been tied to the Inner Temple. Dudley's influence swayed Elizabeth into asking Nicholas Bacon to rule in favour of the Inner Temple, and in gratitude the Parliament and Governors swore never to take
6497-540: The reigns of James I and Charles I , with 1,700 students admitted between 1600 and 1640. The First English Civil War 's outbreak led to a complete suspension of legal education, with the Inns close to being shut down for almost four years. Following the English Restoration the Inner Templars welcomed Charles II back to London personally with a lavish banquet. After a period of slow decline in
6586-472: The room. There were two doors, one to the south and one to the north, which are said by William Dugdale to be the remnants of a "great carved screen" erected in 1574. The Hall was destroyed during the Second World War , and the foundation stone for the new hall was laid by Queen Elizabeth in 1952. The building was designed by Hubert Worthington and opened in 1955 as part of a complex involving
6675-468: The second Earl. On his death the titles passed to his second but only surviving son, the third Earl. He is best remembered as a patron of William Shakespeare . He was succeeded by his second but only surviving son, the fourth Earl, who was a prominent statesman and served as Lord High Treasurer under Charles II between 1660 and 1667. In 1653 he had succeeded his father-in-law Francis Leigh, 1st Earl of Chichester as second Earl of Chichester according to
6764-459: The societies, although Lincoln's Inn's records stretch back to 1422. The Temple was sacked by Wat Tyler and his rebels during the Peasants' Revolt in 1381, with buildings pulled down and records destroyed. John Stow wrote that, after breaking into Fleet Prison , the rebels: went to the Temple to destroy it, and plucked down the houses, tooke off the tyles of the other buildings left; went to
6853-401: The teaching of the civil law within the City of London. The common-law lawyers worked in guilds of law, modelled on trade guilds , which in time became the Inns of Court. In the earliest centuries of their existence, beginning with the 14th century, the Inns were any of a sizeable number of buildings or precincts where lawyers traditionally lodged, trained and carried on their profession. Over
6942-420: The training of students and other junior members. The senior bencher of each Inn is the Treasurer, a position which is held for one year only. Each Inn usually also has at least one royal bencher. They may also appoint honorary benchers, from academics, the world of politics and overseas judiciary. The Inns of Court no longer provide all the education and training needed by prospective barristers, who must pass
7031-490: The unconsecrated buildings between the "inner inn" and the Outer Temple ). These became the Inner Temple and the Middle Temple , and were distinct societies by 1388, when they are mentioned in a year book . The Hospitallers leased the land to the Inner Temple for £10 a year, with students coming from Thavie's Inn to study there. There are few records of the Inner Temple from the 14th and 15th centuries—indeed, from all
7120-594: Was built in 1958, and currently contains approximately 70,000 books. Temple Church has been described as "the finest of the four round churches still existing in London". The original Round was constructed in 1185 by the Knights Templar and consecrated by the Patriarch of Jerusalem on 10 February. The church was highly regarded during this period, with William the Marshal buried there and Henry III initially making plans before changing to Westminster Abbey . After
7209-477: Was declining anyway, to the new climate of internal war. After the end of the Civil War, the old system was not restored; Readers refused to read and both barristers and Benchers refused to follow the internal regulations. The last reading at Inner Temple was made in 1678. Following the English Restoration , the Inner Temple welcomed Charles II back to London with a lavish banquet on 15 August 1661. The banquet
7298-530: Was destroyed during the Second World War, and Thomas Coventry maintained a set of chambers there. Harcourt Buildings were first built in 1703 by John Banks and named after Simon Harcourt , the Treasurer of the time. There were three buildings, 50 feet wide, 27 feet deep and 3 storeys high. Replacements were constructed between 1832 and 1833, and were not particularly attractive—Hugh Bellot said that they "could scarcely be more unsightly". These replacements were destroyed in 1941, and new buildings were built based on
7387-552: Was destroyed. A rookery was established during the 18th century by Edward Northey , who brought a colony of crows from his estates in Epsom to fill it. The gardens were previously noted for their roses, and William Shakespeare claimed that the Wars of the Roses started in the Inner Temple Garden. The gardens have recently been the subject of substantial restoration under the auspices of
7476-460: Was far superior to those of the other Inns of Court , and "placed the House far in advance of the other societies". The Library refused to accept John Selden 's manuscripts in 1654, most likely because the size of the collection would necessitate a new building, but it has been described as "the greatest loss which the Library of the Inner Temple ever sustained". The Library was entirely destroyed in
7565-522: Was held with three Governors and four senior barristers. The last Governor was elected in 1566, and Benchers took over later that century. Benchers, or Masters of the Bench, are elected members of the Parliament responsible for overseeing the estates, the Inn's finances and setting internal policy. Today there are approximately 350 Governing Benchers (barristers and members of the judiciary) and honorary, academic and Royal Benchers appointed, as well as those practising in other jurisdictions. The coat of arms of
7654-710: Was hosted by Sir Heneage Finch , the Speaker of the House of Commons and was attended by the King, four Dukes including the Duke of York , fourteen Earls of England, Scotland and Ireland, 6 Lords and the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas . The group proceeded from Whitehall on the King's barge, landed at the Temple and walked through the Temple Garden surrounded by all the Benchers, barristers and servants of
7743-415: Was shaped like a melon with feet formed from the "tendrils" of the melon, is a prized possession of the Temple. Nicholas Hare left three silver salt cellars for the use of the Benchers in 1597. Two silver candlesticks were bought in 1606, another salt cellar in 1610 and six silver spoons in 1619. A large part of the "house plate" was stolen in 1643, and it is unknown whether it was recovered, although money
7832-435: Was spent in prosecuting the offender. Two silver cups were bought in 1699, and records from 1 January 1703 show that the Temple owned one gilt cup (the "melon" cup) five salt cellars, ten large cups, twelve little cups, and twenty-three spoons. Twelve more spoons were bought in 1707, along with another silver cup, and at some point in this period the Temple purchased or was given a nef . A dozen teaspoons were bought in 1750,
7921-642: Was taught in the City of London , primarily by the clergy. But a papal bull in 1218 prohibited the clergy from practising in the secular courts (where the English common law system operated, as opposed to the Roman civil law functioning in the Church 's ecclesiastical courts ). As a result, law began to be practised and taught by laymen instead of by clerics. To protect their schools from competition, first Henry II ( r. 1154–1189 ) and later Henry III ( r. 1216–1272 ) issued proclamations prohibiting
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