The Four Inns of Court, the Temple Church and Nearly 1,000 Years of History

Step into a hidden world of courtyards, ancient halls, gardens and quiet lanes in the heart of London.
The Inner Temple, Middle Temple, Lincoln’s Inn and Gray’s Inn are the four historic Inns of Court and the traditional homes of England’s barristers. On this walk we visit all four, discovering their gardens, halls, chapels and fascinating connections with some of the most important events and people in British history.
Our story begins in the Temple, where the Knights Templar established their London headquarters in the 12th century. The magnificent Temple Church, consecrated in 1185, is one of the great surviving reminders of that period. King John stayed here during the crisis that led to Magna Carta, and negotiations with the barons began at the Temple.
The Inns themselves are equally rich in history. Their buildings span several centuries, and their halls have witnessed royal visits, theatrical premieres and political debate. Middle Temple Hall, completed in 1573, was visited by Sir Francis Drake and is traditionally said to have hosted the first performance of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, with Queen Elizabeth I reportedly among the audience. The Middle Temple also has an extraordinary American connection: five of its members signed the Declaration of Independence, while others contributed to the drafting of the US Constitution.
From the Inns we continue to the Royal Courts of Justice, opened in 1882, before following Chancery Lane to Lincoln’s Inn. Along the way we encounter historic buildings such as Staple Inn, whose timber-framed frontage dates from the 16th century, and explore Lincoln’s Inn with its medieval origins, historic Old Hall and beautiful gardens.
At Gray’s Inn, we visit one of London’s most atmospheric legal gardens, traditionally associated with Sir Francis Bacon, who helped lay it out in the early 17th century.
The walk ends around Lincoln’s Inn Fields, passing two remarkable museums: Sir John Soane’s Museum and the Hunterian Museum, with its extraordinary collection relating to the history of surgery.
This is a walk through a remarkably concentrated piece of London history — from medieval knights and Magna Carta to Shakespeare, the American Revolution, famous barristers and some of London’s finest historic architecture.
Distance: approximately 5 km
Duration: around 2 hours or more, as there is a great deal to see and discuss.
We will visit a pub afterwards.
Please note that you participate in the walk at your own responsibility.