Middle Temple facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple |
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Middle Temple Hall
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| General information | |
| Town or city | London |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 51°30′44″N 0°06′39″W / 51.51212211529157°N 0.1108662249555948°W |
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, usually called Middle Temple, is one of four special places in London called Inns of Court. These Inns have the power to let their members become barristers in England. Barristers are lawyers who speak in court. The other three Inns are the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn, and Lincoln's Inn.
Middle Temple is located in an area of London known as the Temple. It's close to the Royal Courts of Justice, where many important trials happen. Even though it's inside the City of London, Middle Temple acts almost like its own independent town!
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History of Middle Temple
A long time ago, in the 1100s and early 1200s, priests often taught law in London. But in 1218, the Pope (the head of the Catholic Church) said priests couldn't work in regular courts anymore. So, ordinary people, not priests, started teaching and practicing law.
To protect their way of teaching, King Henry II and King Henry III made rules. These rules stopped the teaching of "civil law" (a different type of law) in London. Because of this, lawyers who practiced "common law" (England's main legal system) moved to an area called Holborn. It was easy to get to the main law courts at Westminster Hall from there, and it was just outside the City of London. These groups of lawyers eventually became the Inns of Court.
Middle Temple is the western part of "The Temple" area. This place used to be the main home for the Knights Templar, a famous group of knights, until they were disbanded in 1312. Lawyers have been in the Temple since 1320.
In 1346, the Knights Hospitaller (another group of knights who then owned the Temple) rented out parts of the Temple to lawyers. Lawyers from one school got the eastern part (which became Inner Temple), and lawyers from another school got the western part (which became Middle Temple). The symbol of Middle Temple today still includes the Saint George's Cross, like the flag of St. George.
Sadly, all of Middle Temple's old records were burned during a big uprising called the Peasants' Revolt in 1381.
In 1540, King Henry VIII took the Temple from the Knights Hospitaller. For a while, each Inn rented its part of the Temple from the King. But in 1608, King James I gave the Temple to both the Inner and Middle Temples forever. They got to keep it as long as they kept teaching lawyers, providing places to live, and taking care of the Temple Church. This church, built in 1185, is still used by both Inns today.
A big fire in January 1679 destroyed much of Middle Temple. It caused more damage than the famous Great Fire of London in 1666! The River Thames was frozen, so people used beer from the Temple's cellars to fight the fire. They finally stopped it by blowing up some buildings with gunpowder.
A very important moment happened on December 24, 1919. Helena Normanton became the first woman ever to join any Inn of Court. Soon after, Olive Clapham joined in January 1920 and became the first woman to pass the final exams to become a barrister in May 1921.
During World War II (1940–1944), the Temple was badly damaged by bombs. The Library was destroyed, much of the Church was ruined, and the main Hall was hit. Many of the living and working spaces for lawyers were also destroyed.
The Inns of Court used to be the main places for all legal education. But in 1852, this changed. Now, they focus on special training for lawyers, like how to speak in court and how to be ethical. They also offer scholarships (money to help students) and affordable places to live. They host events where new lawyers can meet experienced ones for advice.
In 2008, Queen Elizabeth II confirmed the original grant from King James I, celebrating 400 years of the Inns owning the Temple.
Buildings at Middle Temple
Middle Temple owns 43 buildings, and many of them are very old and important. Some buildings are new, built after being destroyed in World War II. But others date back to the 1500s. The Inn also shares responsibility for Temple Church and the Master's House next to it, which was built in 1764.
The Hall
Building Middle Temple Hall started in 1562 and finished in the early 1570s. Its unique "hammerbeam roof" is considered one of the best in London. Queen Elizabeth I visited the hall in 1578 without telling anyone, just to see the new building and listen to lawyers debate. This was the first time a reigning monarch visited an Inn of Court.
One of the tables in the hall is said to be made from wood from the Golden Hinde. This was the ship Sir Francis Drake used to sail around the world! Above the table, there's a huge painting of King Charles I. The walls are decorated with shields showing the coats of arms of important senior members, dating back to 1597.
The first known performance of Shakespeare's play Twelfth Night happened in this very hall on February 2, 1602. Shakespeare himself was probably there!
The hall survived the Great Fire of London in 1666 but was damaged by bombs during World War II.
Middle Temple Hall is very important to the Inn. Students who want to become barristers must attend at least 10 special sessions there. These sessions, once called "dinners," combine meals or parties with lectures, debates, practice court cases, or music.
Middle Temple Hall is also a popular place for events like weddings and parties. Its old streets, historic buildings, and gas lamps make it a unique spot for filming movies and TV shows.
Library
We don't know much about the first library, which was probably just a room. All the books were stolen before King Henry VIII's time. In 1625, a new library was started. In 1641, it got bigger when a member named Robert Ashley left his book collection and money to the Inn. This library was taken down in 1830.
After about 30 years, a new library was built in a Gothic style. It was opened by The Prince of Wales (who later became King Edward VII) in 1861. This Victorian library was badly damaged during the London Blitz in 1940 and was removed after the war.
A new Library was built in the 1950s and opened by the Queen Mother in 1958. This building still holds the Inn's library and old records. It's now called the Ashley Building.
Middle Temple Library has two very old and important globes made by Emery Molyneux. These globes are special because they show how maps were made a long time ago.
Gatehouse
The main entrance gate, on Fleet Street at the northern edge of the Inn, was built in 1684 by the famous architect Sir Christopher Wren. It replaced an older gate that had fallen apart. This gate leads into Middle Temple Lane, which goes south through the Inn and ends at gates near the Victoria Embankment. All the buildings west of this lane belong to Middle Temple. Buildings to the east belong to either Middle Temple or Inner Temple.
Chambers
"Chambers" are the offices where barristers work.
West of Middle Temple Lane
Going south from the Fleet Street gate, Middle Temple Lane passes Brick Court. It's called that because it's said to have the first brick buildings in the Temple, built during Queen Elizabeth I's time. Sir William Blackstone, a very important English lawyer, worked here. The writer Oliver Goldsmith also lived here. He's buried in Temple Church. Blackstone, who lived below Goldsmith, complained about the noisy parties Goldsmith had with famous people like Samuel Johnson.
Next to Brick Court are buildings called Essex Court. The first record of Essex Court is from 1640. Today, both Essex Court and Brick Court are filled with barristers' offices. A path to the west leads to New Court, built by Wren, and then out of the Temple.
South of New Court and Essex Court is Fountain Court. Charles Dickens wrote about the fountain there in his book Martin Chuzzlewit. South of Fountain Court are Garden Court (where the old library was), and the Middle Temple Gardens, which stretch to the southern edge of the Temple. The current Garden Court buildings were built in 1883.
South of the main hall and east of the gardens are Plowden Buildings, built in 1831. These buildings hold the Treasurer's office. South of that is the current library. At the very end of Middle Temple Lane are buildings called Temple Gardens, built by both Inns in 1861. The western part belongs to Middle Temple. The lane goes through an archway in the middle of Temple Gardens and out of the Temple.
East of the lane
Along the east side of Middle Temple Lane, going north from the southern archway, the buildings belong to Inner Temple. But then you reach Lamb Buildings, which belong to Middle Temple. Middle Temple bought this land from Inner Temple after the Great Fire of 1666 because Inner Temple needed money. The Lamb of God is the symbol of Middle Temple, and you can see it carved above the entrances to Lamb Buildings.
Behind Lamb Buildings is Elm Court, built in 1880. Some buildings here belong to Inner Temple, and some to Middle Temple. Further north is Pump Court, one of the oldest courts in the Temple. Most buildings here belong to Middle Temple. Further east are Middle Temple's cloisters, which lead to Church Court, between Temple Church and Inner Temple Hall.
Parallel to Middle Temple Lane, but further east, is Inner Temple Lane. On the east side of Inner Temple Lane is Goldsmith Building. It's named because it's close to Oliver Goldsmith's tomb in Temple Church. Even though it's in the Inner Temple area, Goldsmith Building actually belongs to Middle Temple. It was built in 1861.
How Middle Temple is Run
The Inn's main governing body is called its Parliament. It's made up of "Benchers," who are judges and very experienced barristers chosen for life. The Parliament is led by the Treasurer, who is chosen each year. Parliament approves the Inn's money plans and allows qualified students to become barristers. Members of the British royal family who are made honorary Benchers are called "Royal Benchers." The first was The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) in 1861.
The Inn is managed day-to-day by an Executive Committee and five other committees. These committees report to the Parliament.
The Treasurer for 2024 is Paul Darling OBE KC. The Deputy Treasurer is Dame Kathryn Thirlwall DBE. The Chief Executive is Christopher Ghika KCVO CBE.
Middle Temple as a Liberty
Middle Temple (like Inner Temple) is one of the few remaining "liberties." This is an old name for a special area. It's an independent area that historically wasn't controlled by the main City of London Corporation. It also wasn't under the church's control. Today, Middle Temple acts like its own local government for most things.
It's located within the City of London's boundaries, but you can think of it as its own independent "enclave" or mini-state.
Some of the Inn's buildings are actually just outside the Middle Temple's special area and outside the City of London's boundary. They are in the City of Westminster. Quadrant House, a building on Fleet Street, was bought by Middle Temple in 1999 and is now barristers' offices. This building is also outside the liberty but inside the City of London.
Badge and Coat of Arms
The symbol of Middle Temple is the Lamb of God holding a flag with the Saint George's Cross. This symbol is in the middle of the Inn's coat of arms, against a background of the same red cross on a white field. Both the cross and the lamb with the flag were symbols of the old Knights Templar.
Famous Members
Many important people have been members of Middle Temple:
- Sir Edmund Plowden, English lawyer
- William Byrd II, American lawyer and writer
- Sir John Popham, a top English judge
- Sir Walter Raleigh, famous English explorer and statesman
- Arthur Onslow, English politician
- John Evelyn, English writer
- Sir William Blackstone, important English legal expert
- Charles Dickens, famous English writer
- Thomas Morris Chester, American lawyer and soldier
- Vallabhbhai Patel, Indian statesman
- Qazi Muhammad Isa, Pakistani statesman
- Chittaranjan Das, Indian lawyer
- Geoffrey Howe, British politician
- Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna, Fijian statesman and soldier
Royal Benchers
Members of the Royal Family who have been special Benchers:
- The Prince of Wales (later Edward VII) (1861)
- Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale (1885)
- The Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII) (1919)
- Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother (1944)
- Diana, Princess of Wales (1988)
- William, Prince of Wales (2009)
Other Honorary Benchers
Other important people who have been special Benchers:
- William Howard Taft (1922), US chief justice and president
- Anthony Eden (1952), prime minister
- Harold Macmillan (1958), prime minister
- Warren E. Burger (1971), US chief justice
- Lord Denning (1972), a top judge
See also
In Spanish: Middle Temple para niños
- List of members of Middle Temple
