Visiting the Temple Church London

Visiting the Temple the Church London is like stepping into a different world.  One minute you are on the busy Strand and then you duck  through an arch and immediately the bustle of the 21 century is behind you. Keep on meandering though a maze of narrow paths and you come across the Temple Church.

Origins of the Temple Church

The Temple Church is one of oldest places of worship in London.  It was consecrated in 1185 and built to be the headquarters of the Knights Templar in England.  The oldest part of the church is round, based on the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. It is one of only four round churches in England.  The oblong chancel was added later in 1240.

Who were the Knights Templar?

The Order of the Knights Templar was founded in 1119 as a military order to protect pilgrims.  Their headquarters was on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem but they had outposts across Europe.  The Knights became a wealthy and powerful organisation.  So powerful and with a secretive initiation ceremony they came to annoy Kings.  King Philip IV of France in particular, who lobbied the Pope.  In 1312 Pope Clement disbanded the Knights Templar.

Knights at the Temple Church

The effigies of nine knights lie on the floor.  They have their eyes open and are all depicted as being in the early thirties, the age of Christ when he died.  These are not memorials but rather a reminder that the Knights are ready to spring into action again when Christ rises again.  The Knights of the Temple Church sprang to fame when they featured in Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code.

King John, the Magna Carta and Temple Church

After the Knights Templar were disbanded the church came into the possession of the Crown.  King John used it as one of his London bases, the other being the Tower of London.  Discussions in the lead up to Magna Carta were held in Temple Church. 

Lawyers and the Temple Church

Once King John had finished with the Church it came under control of the Knights Hospitaller’s who in turn rented it out to two legal colleges, early forerunners of Inner and Middle Temple.  With the dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII the church came back into Royal control but the lawyers remained.  By this time Inner Temple has been built on the consecrated land surrounding the church and Middle Temple on the rest of the land. Finally in 1608 the Church was granted to Inner Temple and Middle Temple.

Encaustic tiles and the Temple Church

Tucked away in the corner where the circular and oblong church meets is a spiral staircase.  Clamber up the stairs to be rewarded with an excellent birds eye view of the church and floor paved with rather marvellous encaustic tiles.  Cistercian monks first made the tiles back in the 12th century, so some may well have graced the church back then.  They fell out of fashion until the Victorians rediscovered them.  The current crop of tiles adorned with the various symbols of Middle Temple, Inner Temple and the Temple Church are the product of Victorian renovation.

Temple Church Organ

Services at Temple Church have been accompanied by fine organ music for centuries.  The current organ took up residence in 1954 but wan’t actually built for Temple Church.  It started life in the ballroom of Glen Tanar House in Scotland but wan’t much used.  Lord Glentanar, donated the organ to the Temple Church and it was loaded on a train and installed by its makers Harrison and Harrison.  Most Wednesday lunch times there is an organ concert, free to attend but there is a retiring collection to cover the cost of the concert.  Take a look at the upcoming programme of organ concerts, perfect for a Cultural Wednesday lunch.

Visiting the Temple Church

• Temple Church, 1 Inner Temple Lane EC4Y 1AF
• Open: Monday – Friday 10am – 4pm
• Temple Church is a working church and has regular services during which visits are not possible. 
• Admission: £5

Whilst you are in the area how about having lunch in Middle Temple Hall one of London’s oldest rooms?