The Temple Church in London was consecrated in 1185 in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary on 10 February 1185, by Heraclius, Patriarch of Jerusalem. The Knights Templar community had moved from an earlier site in High Holborn (Old Temple) to the Temple Church area (New Temple) in 1161. (1) Temple church was the chapel serving the London headquarters of the Knights Templar, the famed warrior monks of the Crusades, from which it takes its name.
Many Templar churches were round, in memory of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, Temple Church being no exception. Effigies on the floor of the round church generally commemorate patrons of the Knights Templar who are buried at Temple Church. For example, one prominent patron was William Marshal, Earl of Pembroke (1174-1219), a friend of King John, who played a very important part in the negotiations for the Magna Carta in 1215. Contrary to popular belief, few, if any, of these effigies are of actual Templar knights who went to the Crusades! The effigies that one sees there today were placed in their present position during the restoration of the church in 1841.
The Temple Church has a long and varied history. About fifty years after its consecration in 1185, the Templars faced much more challenging times. The Holy Land was recaptured by the Saracens, their extensive wealth made them a target of envious enemies, and in 1307, at the instigation of Philip IV, King of France, with the collusion of the Pope, the Templars were rounded up and arrested. Many historians today question a number of these charges and the extensive use of torture in obtaining 'confessions'. The final papal bull abolishing the Order was in 1312. In England, King Edward II took control of the London Temple and its church. Eventually he gave it to the Knights Hospitaller of St. John.
At the time, the lawyers in London were looking for a home in order to attend the royal courts in Westminster, and the Temple was rented to two colleges of lawyers, who came to be identified as the Inner and Middle Temples., also referred to as the Inns of Court. These two colleges of lawyers shared use of the Temple church, and it became the college chapel of those two societies and remains so to the present day. (2)
The 16th century brought with it many changes. During 1540, at the time of the Dissolution of the Monasteries by King Henry VIII, the Knights Hospitaller of St. John were also abolished and their property confiscated. The Temple again belonged to the Crown. King Henry VIII then provided a priest for the Temple Church, to whom he gave the title 'Master of the Temple.'
In 1585, the second Master of the Temple, Richard Alvey, died. His deputy- the Reader, Walter Travers- expected to be promoted, but because of his extreme Calvinist views, this did not occur. Instead, a new Master, Richard Hooker, was appointed from Exeter College, Oxford, and upon his arrival, a unique situation arose.
"Each Sunday morning he would preach his sermon; each Sunday afternoon , Travers would contradict him in his! People came to call it the Battle of the Pulpit, saying mischievously that Canterbury was preached in the morning and Geneva in the afternoon." (3) As a result of this rather epic battle, Richard Hooker then became recognised as the founding father of Anglican theology.
By the close of the 16th century, the two Inns of Court had erected many fine buildings at the Temple, yet their position as tenants was not terribly secure. Understandably, in order to protect what they had already built up from any future whims of the Crown, they petitioned King James I for a more satisfactory arrangement. The result of this was that on 13 August 1608, the king granted them a Royal Charter giving them use of the Temple in perpetuity.- but, in modern-day parlance, there was one 'hitch'-the two Inns of Court were also required to maintain the Temple church in perpetuity, which were quite reasonable terms overall.
In gratitude, the Inns gave King James I a gold cup, which was later sold in Holland when his son, Charles I, needed more funds to keep his army in the field. This gold cup has now disappeared. So, the Temple and Temple Church are still governed by this original Royal Charter of King James I today.
Temple Church was restored again in Victorian times. In 1841, it was carefully restored by Smirke and Burton, being decorated in the high Victorian Gothic style. The idea was to bring Temple Church back to its original appearance, but, unfortunately, nothing of this fine work remains today, as it was destroyed by fire bombs exactly 100 years after its completion, in 1941.
After the 1841 Victorian restoration, a choir of men and boys was introduced for the first time, which became known as one of the finest choirs in London. In 1923, for example, Dr. G.T. Thalben-Ball was appointed organist and choirmaster, later becoming world-renowned, especially for the record made in 1927 of Mendelssohn's 'Hear My Prayer'(by Thalben-Ball and the boy soloist Ernest Lough) which brought many visitors to the church from all over the world. This tradition of high quality music is still maintained today.
In 1941, on the evening of 10 May, air raids on London caused serious damage to Temple Church and the surrounding area. Restoration took a long time to complete, with the choir being the first area of the church to be rededicated in March 1954. The round church was rededicated in November 1958. (4)
But what may be the most notable feature in the church today, the east window, was a gift from the Glaziers' Company in 1954 to replace the window that was destroyed in the war. It was designed by Carl Edwards and illustrates Jesus' connection with the Temple at Jerusalem. In one panel, we see him talking with the learned teachers there, in another, driving out the money-changers.
Since its restoration in 1954, Temple church has resumed its role as the chapel and spiritual home of the Inner and Middle Temples. Each Sunday morning, except August and September when the Law Courts are not in session, the choir sings the morning service, either Mattins or Holy Communion. It also still continues to attract many visitors from around the world.
Temple Church is an active Christian church today, also a very fitting testimony to its fascinating Templar history from medieval times.
Please see the Temple Church website
and
City Find is Knights Templars' Oldest London Church" (Aug 2002)
King Henry II was present at the consecration of Temple Church in 1185. King Henry III greatly favoured the Templars, to the extent that he wished to be buried in their church. As a consequence of the king's wish, the choir of the church was pulled down and a far larger one built in its place, which is the choir that we see today. This was consecrated on Ascension Day in 1240 in the presence of Henry III. However, after Henry III died, it was discovered that he had altered his will and he was buried in Westminster Abbey.
The east window, a gift from the Glaziers' Company in 1954, not only depicts scenes of Jesus' connection with the Temple at Jerusalem, but also features personalities associated with Temple Church over the centuries, most notably King Henry II, King Henry III, and several of the medieval Masters of the Temple.
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VISITING THE SITE |
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| Access | P | P = open to public; A = by arrangement; X = private |
| Opening times | 10:00 - 16:00 Mon - Sat | |
| Comments on Access | Admission free Disabled access Sunday services: 8:30 a.m. Holy Communion 11:15 a.m. Morning Prayer (Holy Communion on last Sunday of the month) |
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| Ownership / Management | Inns of Court maintain the Temple Church, as per the Royal Charter granted by King James I in 1608. | |
| Tours | Verger/Administrator: Brian
Nicolson Tel: 020 7353 3470 Email: verger@templechurch.com |
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| Distance from nearest town | In Central London | |
| Nearest Tube Stations | Temple, Blackfriars (Circle
Line) Chancery Lane (Central Line) |
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| Where to stay / eat (Templar contacts) |
None known | |
| Where to stay / eat (Other) |
London Hotels 1 London Hotels 2 |
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| Other local Templar contacts | None known | |
| Places of interest nearby | St Paul's Cathedral, St Brides, Temple of Mithras | |