Exterior of the red brick Inner Temple building with rows of sash windows, blue Pegasus awning, and neatly trimmed trees along the pavement.

Our History

The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple (“the Inn”) is one of the four Inns of Court. The Inns of Court are unincorporated associations that have existed since the 14th Century.

They play a central role in the recruitment of student members, training of aspiring barristers and continuing professional development of established barristers. The Inns of Court hold the exclusive rights to call candidates to practise law at the Bar of England and Wales. They consist of the Honourable Societies of the Inner Temple, Middle Temple, Lincoln’s Inn, and Gray’s Inn.

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Three tall arched stained glass windows with purple, blue, and multicolored panels in a red brick wall with white stone sills and decorative cornices, framed by green hedges below.

Venue background

The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple dates back many hundreds of years, during which time its buildings have been periodically rebuilt due to fire, decay, damage, or wartime destruction. The majority of the buildings you see today, with the exception of the Temple Church and those constructed post-war, were built during the period spanning the late-seventeenth and mid-nineteenth centuries. An excellent history of the each of the buildings and their predecessors can be found on the Inner Temple Library website.

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The Inner Temple estate, together with the Middle Temple estate, comprises the Temples Conservation Area, and contains one of the largest concentrations of Grade I listed buildings in London, with many of the others being listed Grade II* or II.

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Wood panelled corridor with curved walls leading to wooden stairs flanked by railings, under a large circular glass skylight allowing natural light.

Only the parliament chamber (1680) and clocktower (1686) had survived the fire of 1737. The Georgian facade (in Portland stone) was added in 1740 when Thomas Blencowe was Treasurer. At the left is the Crown Office Row building of 1737 (destroyed 1941).

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Inner Temple Building view
Grand hall in the Inner Temple with high white ceiling and multiple sparkling chandeliers, light wood panelled walls displaying full length portraits and wooden cabinets with shields, tall arched stained glass windows allowing warm sunlight, and rows of blue upholstered chairs facing a central wooden dais on a checkered marble floor.

The Old Hall

The old hall underwent many changes before its demolition in 1868. The new hall of 1870 reflected the same architectural taste, but was 92 feet long, and with much ornamental detail. The windows included scenes from English history, such as the battle of Hastings and the Assize of Clarendon, pictures of Bracton (writing his book) and various other legal figures, together with historical personages from Alcuin to the Duke of Wellington; the great west window depicted Queen Victoria with four virtues representing Law and Government. At the east end was a marble bust of Queen Victoria, and (in the gable) Thornhill’s painting of Pegasus from the old hall.

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Fish eye upward view of Temple Church's octagonal wooden ceiling with dark beams forming geometric patterns around a central golden ornament, supported by light stone arches and columns, with small stained glass windows and white wall panels.

No attempt was made in the 1950s to reproduce the medieval appearance of the older halls, but a neo-Georgian style was preferred, with light coloured oak. The tradition was nevertheless continued of placing the readers’ coats of arms around the walls; the present shields were painted by Frank Newsome Berry. The armorial windows (mostly by Hugh Easton) commemorate members of the Inn who have held the great seal, two Royal Benchers who acceded unexpectedly to the throne (James II and George VI), and (in the west window) Robert Dudley, earl of Leicester. Dudley’s arms were ordered in 1561 to be displayed in Hall ‘as a continual monument of his lordship’s goodness and great goodwill towards this House’ in saving Lyons Inn from the claims of the Middle Temple.

Exterior view of Temple Church's circular stone tower in warm beige with narrow arched windows and buttresses, topped by a crenellated parapet and cross, beside a red brick building, framed by green tree branches against a pale sky.
Long, elegant wood panelled room in the Inner Temple with polished oak walls and ceiling, pink floral curtains on tall windows, multiple crystal chandeliers, wall sconces, portraits of figures in ornate frames, and a large oval polished wood conference table surrounded by red upholstered chairs on red carpet.

The Parliament Chamber

In the Parliament Chamber is a piece of elaborate wood carving, inscribed ‘T Thoma Walker Ar 1705′ and formerly attributed to Grinling Gibbons, which was removed for safety during the bombing. A carving of pegasus in marble by J. M. Rysbrack, made in 1737 for the Hall entrance, was also saved from the ravages of war and is now set above the benchers’ doorway opposite the Parliament Chamber. Most of the paintings belonging to the Inn were removed during the Blitz and still adorn the walls of these central buildings; they include the full-lengths of Coke and Littleton (given in 1662) which used to dominate the old Hall, and those of King William III, Queen Mary II and Queen Anne, commissioned by the Inn from Sir Godfrey Kneller (1694, 1702).

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Contact

If you are interested in planning an event or would like further information about The Inner Temple then please get in touch and we will reply as soon as possible.

    Thank you for considering The Inner Temple for your event. We aim to reply to you within 4 working hours of receiving your enquiry. Our office hours are Monday to Friday 9.00am - 5.30pm.