Description
St Mary's Church was built in the late C12th by the Knights Templar who moved here from Holborn. The round church was first consecrated in 1185; a larger chancel was added and its consecration in 1240 was attended by Henry III. The Knights Templar were dissolved in 1312 and in 1324 their Temple property was given to the Knights of the Order of St John, who subsequently leased it to a society of students of the common laws of England. This later formed into two societies, those of the Inner and the Middle Temple, who in 1608 were granted the freehold in perpetuity for use as a place of study and residence. The Temple Church escaped the Great Fire of 1666 but was badly damaged in 1941 and restored in 1954. North of the church a paved churchyard has a number of tombs, beyond this is a raised area laid out as a small garden containing the C18th memorial to Iohannes Hiccocks, the tomb of Oliver Goldsmith, and gravestones set into the paving.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | St Mary's Churchyard |
|---|---|
| Site location | The Temple, access via Temple Lane/Tudor Street |
| Postcode | EC4Y 7BB |
| What3Words | ///trade.fonts.times |
| Type of Site | Churchyard |
| Borough | City of London |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | Churchyard garden and Church Court unrestricted. Church: open daily but check website for details. |
| Events | Concerts, talks and events in church |
| Public Transport | Tube: Blackfriars, Temple (District and Circle). Bus: 4, 11, 15, 23, 26, 76, 172 |
| Research Updated | 1 April 2011 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
St Mary's Church in the Temple serves the Inner and Middle Temple (q.v.) and was built by the Knights Templar in the late C12th. The Order purchased land here and moved from Holborn, where they had originally established themselves on the site of the present Southampton Buildings (q.v.) where remains of foundations were discovered in 1999/2000. At that time the circular nave and porch were built and the church was consecrated by Patriarch Heraclius of Jerusalem in 1185. In c.1220 building of a new and larger chancel commenced, its consecration in 1240 attended by Henry III. The nave contains a series of C13th effigies of Knights in Purbeck marble, which were restored when the church itself was restored in both the C19th and in the C20th following damage in World War II. The Knights Templar were dissolved by the Pope in 1312 and the Temple property passed through the hands of a number of noblemen until 1324 when all previous lands of the Knights Templar were given to the Knights of the Order of St John. The Knights conveyed the Temple to Hugh le Despencer, favourite of the King, at whose death it reverted to the Crown but it was later granted once again to the Knights, who leased it to a society of students of the common laws of England, which eventually formed two societies, those of the Inner and the Middle Temple.
At the Dissolution of the Monasteries the Temple passed to the Crown although the law students maintained their lease and in 1608 James I granted the freehold to the Benchers of the Temple in perpetuity for use as a place of study and residence. Temple Church escaped the Great Fire of 1666 but was refurbished by Wren in 1682. It was badly damaged in 1941 and restored by Carden and Godfrey in 1954.
North of Temple Church is a paved area of churchyard with a number of tombs, bounded to the north by wall and railings beyond which is further raised area of former churchyard laid out as small garden with one tree. There remain a couple of tombs including a memorial to Iohannes (John) Hiccocks (d.1726) and the tomb of Oliver Goldsmith (d.1774) near the Goldsmith Building, and some gravestones set into the paving. Adjacent to the church is the Master's Garden (q.v.), entered from Church Court with a path leading through the garden to the Master's House.
At the Dissolution of the Monasteries the Temple passed to the Crown although the law students maintained their lease and in 1608 James I granted the freehold to the Benchers of the Temple in perpetuity for use as a place of study and residence. Temple Church escaped the Great Fire of 1666 but was refurbished by Wren in 1682. It was badly damaged in 1941 and restored by Carden and Godfrey in 1954.
North of Temple Church is a paved area of churchyard with a number of tombs, bounded to the north by wall and railings beyond which is further raised area of former churchyard laid out as small garden with one tree. There remain a couple of tombs including a memorial to Iohannes (John) Hiccocks (d.1726) and the tomb of Oliver Goldsmith (d.1774) near the Goldsmith Building, and some gravestones set into the paving. Adjacent to the church is the Master's Garden (q.v.), entered from Church Court with a path leading through the garden to the Master's House.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ312810 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.0628 |
| Site Ownership | Temple Church |
| Dates | C12th onwards |
| Listed Structures | LBI: Temple Church. LBII: statue of John Hiccocks |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | No |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | City of London |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Temples |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - Thames Policy Area |
Gallery
Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.
Nearby parks and gardens
The Master's Garden is located between Temple Church and the Master's House, the residence of the Master of the Temple at the Temple Church. Reached by a flight of steps from Church Court, the L-shaped garden is on a raised plateau due to its position over the C17th catacombs, which were created adjacent to the church in order to provide more burial space. Damage by WWII bombing resulted in damage to the Master's House and the loss of a number of mature trees and other plants in the garden. The garden's layout today dates from post-war renovation, and the planting reflects the fact that the soil is free-draining due to its position over the catacombs, with plants chosen for their ability to well withstand dry conditions.
This is the former site of one of the Serjeants' Inns used by the Serjeants-at-Law, a superior order of barristers dating back to at least the C12th. The Inn here appears to have been occupied from 1424-42 and then from c.1498-1730 after which it ceased to be used by the Serjeants, the building subsequently demolished. The Fleet Street site retained the name although following destruction by WWII bombing post-war buildings of 1951-58 were for commercial rather than legal use. A Neo-Georgian central block with 2 wings enclosed the cobbled Serjeants' Inn Courtyard, which had a fountain and some planting of small trees and shrubs but was otherwise largely used for parking. An archway leads to Inner Temple precincts. Nos.1-2 Serjeants' Inn are being developed as a 4-star hotel, due to open 2012, which will retain the central courtyard. No. 3 Sergeants' Inn has been barristers' chambers since 1986.
King's College London was founded in 1829, becoming one of the two founding colleges of the University of London in 1836. It now occupies 5 campuses, the original one being its Strand Campus. The Maughan Library & Information Services Centre opened here in 2001 on the site of the former Rolls Chapel founded in 1232, associated with the Master of the Rolls from 1377 and the location of the Public Record Office from the C19th until 1997. In 1912 the PRO acquired part of the garden of Clifford's Inn. After King's College moved here the PRO garden was re-landscaped as a Contemplative Garden of 'green rooms' designed by George Carter and includes a sculpture and water feature.
