Middle Temple

Middle Temple stands in the City of London as one of the four Inns of Court that train and call barristers to the English Bar. It occupies the western part of the Temple, a historic area once held by the Knights Templar until their dissolution in the 14th century. The Inn shares Temple Church with its neighbour, Inner Temple, a building consecrated in 1185 and still used today. Lawyers have practised here since 1320, when they leased the land from the Earl of Lancaster. The Cross of St George remains part of Middle Temple’s coat of arms, linking it to its medieval origins. Middle Temple has survived fires, wars and revolts, including a devastating blaze in 1679 that destroyed much of the Inn. Helena Florence Normanton became its first female student in 1919, paving the way for women in the legal profession. During the Second World War, bombing raids damaged the Library, Master’s House and Hall, but rebuilding followed. The Inn continues to educate new barristers through advocacy training and scholarships, while its historic buildings remain in use. Queen Elizabeth II renewed its royal charter in 2008, marking 400 years of continuous operation. Visitors enter through the Gatehouse, a surviving remnant of the original complex. Middle Temple Hall, built between 1562 and 1570, features a striking hammerbeam roof and portraits of monarchs from Elizabeth I to George I. The hall hosted the first recorded performance of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night in 1602. The Ashley Building, constructed in the 1950s, houses the Inn’s library and archives, including rare globes by Emery Molyneux. Cobbled streets, gas lamps and historic chambers give the area a timeless atmosphere, often used as a filming location.