Temple Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Temple Church |
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Temple Church, view from south-west, showing the original Round Church, now forming the narthex
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| Location | London, EC4 |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Book of Common Prayer |
| History | |
| Consecrated | 10 February 1185 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | City |
| Diocese | London |
The Temple Church is a historic church in the City of London. It is located between Fleet Street and the River Thames. This church was built by the Knights Templar, a powerful group of Christian warrior monks, to be their main base in England. It was officially opened on February 10, 1185.
During the time of King John (1199–1216), the church was used as the royal treasury. This was because the Knights Templar were like early international bankers. Today, the church is owned by two legal societies, the Inner Temple and Middle Temple, which are important centers for lawyers in England.
The Temple Church is famous for its unique round shape. This design was common for churches built by the Knights Templar. It is also known for its stone statues, called effigies, from the 13th and 14th centuries. The church was badly damaged during World War II but has been carefully repaired and rebuilt. The area around the church is still called the Temple.
Contents
History of the Temple Church
Building the Church
In the mid-1100s, before this church was built, the Knights Templar in London met at a different location. Their old meeting place became too small as their group grew quickly. So, in the 1160s, they bought the current land. They wanted to build a much larger complex for their English headquarters. This new site included not just the church but also homes, training areas for soldiers, and recreation spots for the monks.
The church building has two main parts. The first part is the original round building, known as the Round Church. This part now serves as the main area where people sit, called the nave. The second part is a rectangular section added later, about 50 years after the first part. This section is at the east end and is called the chancel.
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The Knights Templar were inspired by a building in Jerusalem called the Dome of the Rock. They believed it was the site of the ancient Temple of Solomon. This building, which they called Templum Domini, became a model for many of their round churches across Europe.
The Round Church is about 55 feet (16.7 meters) wide. Inside, it has a circle of columns made from Purbeck Marble. These are some of the oldest known free-standing columns of this type. It is thought that the walls and decorative carvings were once brightly painted.
The church was officially opened on February 10, 1185, by Heraclius, a religious leader from Jerusalem. It is believed that King Henry II was there for the ceremony.
From 1185 to 1307
The Knights Templar were very powerful in England. Their leader, the Master of the Temple, even had a seat in parliament. Kings and representatives of the Pope often stayed at the Temple complex. The Temple also acted like an early bank, keeping money safe for nobles. Sometimes, they even protected this money from the king! The Templars had a huge network and a lot of wealth across Europe. Many historians believe this wealth and power made other kingdoms jealous, which eventually led to their downfall.
In January 1215, a meeting took place at the Temple Church. William Marshal helped negotiate between King John and his nobles. The nobles wanted the king to respect their rights, which were written in an earlier document. Marshal promised the king would address their concerns. This led to King John signing the famous Magna Carta in June of that year.
William Marshal later became a regent (someone who rules for a child king) for King Henry III. Henry III wanted to be buried in the Temple Church. To make space, the original chancel was taken down in the early 1200s. A new, much larger chancel was built, which is mostly what we see today. It was officially opened in 1240. It has a central aisle and two side aisles, all the same width. The ceiling is about 36 feet 3 inches (11 meters) high. Although one of Henry's baby sons was buried there, Henry himself later chose to be buried at Westminster Abbey.
Royal Takeover
After the Knights Templar were disbanded in 1307, King Edward II took control of the church. Later, it was given to another group, the Knights Hospitaller. They rented out parts of the Temple to two groups of lawyers. These groups became the Inner Temple and the Middle Temple, two of London's four main legal societies. They both shared the use of the church.
In 1540, the church became property of the Crown again. This happened when King Henry VIII abolished the Knights Hospitaller in England. Henry then appointed a priest for the church, who was called the "Master of the Temple."
In the 1580s, the church was the site of a "Battle of the Pulpits." This was a debate between different religious groups about how the church should be run. The famous writer Shakespeare knew the church well. It and its garden are featured in his play Henry VI, part 1. In the play, two roses, one white and one red, are picked in the garden. This scene is said to mark the beginning of the Wars of the Roses, a series of civil wars in England. In 2002, new white and red roses were planted in the gardens to remember this event.
In 1608, King James I agreed that the two legal societies could use the church forever. In return, they had to promise to support and maintain it. They still use the Temple Church as their special chapel today.
The church was lucky and escaped damage during the Great Fire of London in 1666. However, it was later updated by Christopher Wren, a famous architect. He added an altar screen and the church's first organ. In the 1800s, the church was restored again. Workers tried to make it look like its original medieval style. In 1850, a fire started in the furnace room, damaging part of the church, but it was put out before it could spread far.
The Twentieth Century
On May 10, 1941, during The Blitz (German bombing raids), the roof of the Round Church caught fire. The fire quickly spread. The organ and all the wooden parts of the church were destroyed. The marble columns in the chancel cracked because of the intense heat. These columns were replaced with new ones that looked exactly like the originals. The Master's House, where the Master of the Temple lived, also burned down that night.
During the rebuilding work, old parts from Christopher Wren's 17th-century updates were found in storage. These were put back in their original places. The church was officially reopened in November 1958.
The Temple Church was named a Grade I listed building on January 4, 1950. This means it is a very important historic building.
What the Church is Used For
The church was originally used for special ceremonies to welcome new Knights Templar members. In England, new recruits would enter the church through the western door at dawn. Inside the round part of the church, they would make promises to live a life of devotion, purity, poverty, and obedience. The details of these ceremonies were kept secret. This secrecy later caused rumors and gossip, which were used by enemies of the order, like King Philip IV of France, to find reasons to shut down the Knights Templar.
Today, the Temple Church holds regular church services every Sunday. It also hosts weddings, but only for members of the Inner and Middle Temples. The church serves as a private chapel for both legal societies.
The Temple Church has always been a "royal peculiar." This means it is directly under the authority of the Crown, not a local bishop. Because of this special status, the choir members get to wear bright red robes. The church has a good relationship with the Bishop of London, who often attends events there.
Music at the Temple Church
The church is well-known for its regular choral music performances and organ concerts. A choir, similar to those in large cathedrals, was started at the Temple Church in 1842. It quickly became very famous.
In 1927, the Temple Choir, led by George Thalben-Ball, became world-famous. They recorded Mendelssohn's Hear My Prayer, which included a solo part sung by Ernest Lough. This recording became one of the most popular church choir recordings ever. It sold over a million copies by 1962 and has sold an estimated 6 million copies to date!
The Temple Church has excellent sound quality, which has attracted many famous musicians. Sir John Barbirolli recorded a well-known performance of Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis there in 1962. Paul Tortelier also recorded all of Bach's Cello Suites there in 1982. In 2003, the church was used for a music video by the choir Libera.
When composer Hans Zimmer was writing the music for the movie Interstellar, he chose the Temple Church to record the organ parts. The church's former organist, Roger Sayer, played the organ while a large orchestra played throughout the church. Zimmer said that "Stepping foot into Temple Church is like stepping into profound history. ...Temple Church houses one of the most magnificent organs in the world."
The choir still records, broadcasts, and performs today, in addition to their regular Sunday services. It is an all-male choir with 18 boys and 12 professional men. The boys receive scholarships for their education. The choir performed the world premiere of Sir John Tavener's long piece, The Veil of the Temple, which lasted seven hours overnight in the church in 2003.
Organ
The church has two organs. One is a smaller chamber organ built in 2001. The other is a large, four-manual Harrison & Harrison organ. It was built in 1924 for a private house and was moved to the Temple Church in 1954.
List of Organists
The church has had many famous organists over the years, including:
- Francis Pigott 1688–1704
- John Pigott 1704–1737 (from 1729 for Middle Temple only)
- John Stanley 1734–1786
- Edward John Hopkins 1843–1897
- Sir Henry Walford Davies 1897–1923
- Sir George Thalben-Ball 1923–1982
- Roger Sayer 2014–2023
- Thomas Allery 2023-
Master of the Temple
The Temple Church always has two clergy members: the "Master of the Temple" and the "Reader of the Temple." The title "Master of the Temple" comes from the leader of the original Knights Templar. The Crown (the King or Queen) chooses the Master of the Temple. This right was kept when the church was given to the two legal societies in 1608.
The church is a "Royal Peculiar", meaning it is not under the control of a bishop or archbishop. The current Master of the Temple is the Reverend Robin Griffith-Jones, who was appointed in 1999. The Master often gives public talks during lunchtime.
The official title of the Master of the Temple is the "Reverend and Valiant Master of the Temple." The Master lives in the Master's House, a historic house built next to the church in 1764.
People Buried in the Church
Many important people have been buried at the Temple Church, including:
- William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke (died 1219) – a famous knight and regent of England.
- William Marshal, 2nd Earl of Pembroke (died 1231) – son of the above.
- Gilbert Marshal, 4th Earl of Pembroke (died 1241) – another son.
- Silvester de Everdon (died 1254) – a bishop and important government official.
- John Selden (died 1654) – a famous English lawyer and scholar.
- Oliver Goldsmith (died 1774) – a well-known writer of novels, plays, and poems.
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia del Temple (Londres) para niños
- List of churches and cathedrals of London
- Temple (Paris) – the Knights Templar's main headquarters in Paris.
