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| Temple Church, London 2025, Geoffrey Sutton |
Temple Church in London is a historic and architecturally significant church located between Fleet Street and the River Thames. Built by the Knights Templar in the 12th century, it was consecrated on February 10, 1185.
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| William Marshall, First Earl of Pembroke 1142 - 1219 |
The church is known for its distinctive round nave, a design inspired by the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.
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| Round Nave view from balcony |
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| Ceiling above the nave |
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| King Henry III, Cast of Effigy |
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| King John, Cast of Effigy |
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| Geoffrey of Westmacott de Mandeville Earl of Gloucester |
The church originally served as the English headquarters for the Knights Templar, who played a crucial role in medieval banking and finance.
See this short video to view the round nave including the effigies of the knights.
During the reign of King John, Temple Church functioned as the royal treasury. After the dissolution of the Knights Templar in the early 14th century, ownership of the church passed to the Crown and later to the Inns of Court, specifically the Inner Temple and Middle Temple, which remain its custodians today. The church has been an important site for legal professionals and continues to host services, discussions, and musical performances.
Temple Church suffered significant damage during World War II due to German bombing but was extensively restored in the post-war period. The church remains an active place of worship and a historical landmark in London.
Photos of the altar, stained glass windows and the organ.
The Chest from 1608.
The chest was made to contain the Letters Patent granting the church to the two Inns of Court by King James I. There are two locks requiring both Inns to be present to unlock the chest.
The Knights Templar
The Knights Templar were active from approximately 1118 to 1312. They were founded in the early 12th century to protect Christian pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem and played a significant role in the Crusades. Their influence grew rapidly, and they became a powerful military and financial organization. However, in 1312, Pope Clement V officially disbanded the order under pressure from King Philip IV of France.
Notes:
- Temple Church is located at Temple, London EC4Y 7BB.
-There is a fee for tourists.
-There are steps in a narrow staircase to the second floor.
-There are toilets. I am not sure how accessible they are.
- It is jointly owned by the Inner Temple and Middle Temple Inns of Court.
- The church was heavily damaged during World War II and later restored.
-Find out more at the church’s website- see below.
- More information can be found on [Temple Church's official website](https://www.templechurch.com/) and [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_Church).
Post Author
Geoffrey W. Sutton has a PhD in psychology and writes about psychology and culture.
Website: https://www.suttong.com/
Amazon Author: https://author.amazon.com/home
ResearchGate page: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Geoffrey-Sutton-2
Academia Page: https://evangel.academia.edu/GeoffSutton
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