Temple page 2.

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We begin at the gateway that admits to Middle Temple Lane, built by Roger North in 1684, and dotted with hundreds of studs. Then we pass the overhanging storeys supported by iron posts, often grasped by Dr Johnson on his return from Fleet Street jaunts. These buildings were once known as ‘The Old Post House’, originally built in the reign of Elizabeth I to accommodate the Queen's printer. From about 1715 until the introduction of the penny postal service in 1840 they were used as a post office counter, which gave rise to its previous name. There used to be two shops in this row - one owned by a stationer and the other by a shoe-maker; the latter disappeared about 200 years ago but the stationer was still active until well into the 20th century. It was the business of law stationers and printers, Abram and Sons, in whose ownership it had been since about 1775 and at its closure was under the control of Ernest Abram.

middletl.jpg (16300 bytes)Opposite these buildings, where Child's Bank built their extension at the end of the 19th century, stood a row of tiny tenements known as Child's Place, named after Sir Francis Child, the well heeled goldsmith who operated under the sign of ‘Ye Marygold’ on this site. He later went on to found Child's Bank - now part of the Royal Bank of Scotland - which was once honoured with the custom of Charles II, his bit on the side - Nell Gwynn, Samuel Pepys and Prince Rupert.

Travelling further back in time, part of this site was occupied by the Devil Tavern, with its sign depicting St Dunstan punching Satan's nose. It was here that Ben Jonson held the chair at the Apollo Club, and where Shakespeare and his mates spent many a rollicking evening. Here too, the lawyers of both Temple societies held out-of-chambers meetings, swilling ale, feasting on lark pie and usually ending in a right jovial gathering.

Although the Devil was not high on the list of Dr Johnson's most frequented haunts, in 1751 he invited a multitude of guests to a party there; it was to celebrate the first novel of American actress Charlotte Lennox. During the all-night festivities an enormous apple pie was ceremoniously paraded in, and Dr Johnson danced about in merriment, the like of which was previously unknown - although, that night, he had totally abstained from taking strong drink.

The Devil Tavern was demolished by Child's Bank in 1788.

Moving south along Middle Temple Lane, on the right is the opening to Brick Court, originally known as Brick Buildings from it being the first of the Temple courts to be constructed of brick.

One of the most famous residents of Brick Court was Oliver Goldsmith. After spending some time in Wine Office Court, where he began to write The Vicar of Wakefield, he moved to Gray's Inn. From there he very briefly took rooms at number 3 King's Bench Walk and in 1765 he settled at number 2 Brick Court. It is said that he purchased the rooms for £400 and further spent a great deal of money in furnishings. Much to the annoyance of his downstairs neighbour Sir William Blackstone, he regularly invited hoards of guests to join him in all night parties. Blackstone must have been sick to the teeth and complained furiously about the noise from his ‘revelling neighbour’.

Oliver Goldsmith lived out the remaining years of his life here and died in 1774. He was buried in the churchyard on the north side of the church and a memorial, erected in the last century, marks the approximate spot.

Twenty years after the departure of Goldsmith these chambers were the setting for an episode quite in contrast to the all-night ‘revelling’. It seems that a Miss Broderick took up residence here, and in expectation of a promise one evening, she paced the floor-boards waiting for here lover, Mr Eddington. When he eventually arrived - hours late - he was subjected to a grilling of such intensity that would have made any lawyer appear as a novice. His dithering excuse was that he had been delayed by his palls down at the local. A feeble try, she thought - and shot him.

Today Brick Court appears larger than it actually is; this comes about through the demolition in the Second World War of a block of chambers separating this Court and Essex Court, which occupies the western side.

The earliest mention of Essex Court comes from John Evelyn, diarist, architect, and gardener, on the occasion of him taking up rooms at number 1 in 1641. ‘I repaired with my brother to the Tearme to go into the new lodging, being a very handsome apartment just over against the Hall Court, but four payre of stayres high w'ch gave us the advantage of the fairer prospect.’ How long he stayed is not certain but the site was cleared in 1656 and replaced by a larger block, forming the present numbers 1 and 2. This was the first part of Essex Court to be erected; the rest did not arrive until 1677 when Nicholas Barbon sold a strip of his newly acquired grounds of Essex House to the Middle Temple.

Essex Court is a moderately attractive place, where a couple of trees sprout from the paving slabs, although most of the surrounding buildings are uninteresting; the north side was rebuilt in 1883 and those on the south and west sides were partly replaced in 1910. Until a few years ago, on the north side of the Court, stood the little shop of JF Albin, wigmakers.

Through a covered way on the west side is New Court, largely built in 1676 by Nicholas Barbon, on part of the gardens of Essex House. His creation on the west side still stands, whilst the north side is formed by the rear of more recent buildings fronting onto the Strand. A small gateway on the west side, at one time comprising of wrought-iron twists and twirls but now entirely of wood, gives access to Devereux Court, and on the open south side a short flight of steps lead down to spacious ‘L’ shaped Fountain Court with its 1919 restoration of the original fountain, built in 1680, standing at the angle.

Although the Temple grounds are a constant bustle of lawyers flitting here and there, Fountain Court retains an air of peaceful calm. With its fountain gently dancing in the stillness, water droplets falling like glistening diamonds in an unending musical theme, the Court is a sanctuary of tranquillity. Or if you like, as Boswell put it in 1763, 'a pleasant academical retreat'.

There are perhaps more literary references to Fountain Court than to any other of the Temple courts. It was here that Charles Dickens set the scene for the meeting between Ruth Pinch and John Westlock, in Martin Chuzzlewit. ‘Merrily the tiny fountain played, and merrily the dimples sparkled on its sunny face. John Westlock hurried after her. Softly the whispering water broke and fell; and roguishly the dimples twinkled; as he stole upon her footsteps.’ It was no wonder that Dickens chose Fountain Court; the merry spray has been providing the background music for romantic couples for centuries.

fountain.jpg (18000 bytes)Godfrey Turner, who evidently had no passionate hankering for haring off to the countryside, strung these lines together in recollection of a treasured spot:

‘And - when others fled from town to lake and moor and mountain -
I have laid my troubles beside the Temple Fountain.’

Arthur Symonds, who had rooms at number 2, recorded pleasant memories when he wrote, ‘The nights in Fountain Court were a continual delight to me’. Poet William Blake moved into number 3 in 1821 and stayed until his death in 1827. In the late 18th century, Fountain Court was the regular playground of Charles Lamb - when he was ‘a Rechabite of six years old’ - where, with his chums all seated around the fountain, he used to demonstrate his expertise in turning it on and off.

Lying on the south side of Fountain Court is Middle Temple Hall, commenced in 1562 and opened in 1570 by Elizabeth I. It was originally faced in brilliant red brick but in 1757 the whole of the exterior was encased in stone - a few thought it an improvement while the vast majority regarded it ‘in wretched taste’. With the exception of renovation work carried out to rectify war damage, the interior remains as it was when Elizabeth danced around the floor and the voice of Shakespeare echoed from every wall - Twelfth Night was performed here in the presence of the Queen on the 2nd February 1602.

The magnificent hammer-beam roof is considered to be the finest in England and the richly carved oak screen, thought to be the work of Huguenot refugees, is an unrivalled example. Relics of the high seas are few and far between in legal London and one expects to find them least of all in the precincts of the Temple. But, here in Middle Temple Hall the serving table is made from the timbers of Drake's famous ship, the Golden Hind.

During the process of installing electric lighting in 1894, workmen discovered a box concealed in a recess formed in the upper part of the wall. It contained the perfectly preserved skeleton of a man, thought to have been hidden there for over 200 years. It was believed by some that its use was to demonstrate the human anatomy at lectures, but those more in touch with reality settled for it being the victim of some tragic circumstance.

Until earlier this century a curious old custom concerning the ritual of dining in hall survived in the Middle Temple. It was the official daily duty of the panyer-man to ride to Westminster and collect the requirement of freshly baked bread. With this task completed, on the stroke of five-thirty he would set out, in full uniform, on a tour of all the courts, where he sounded loud blasts on his horn to summon the members to dinner.


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