Temple Church
Encyclopedia
The Temple Church is a late-12th-century church in London
located between Fleet Street
and the River Thames
, built for and by the Knights Templar
as their English headquarters. In modern times, two Inns of Court
(Inner Temple
and Middle Temple
) both use the church. It is famous for its effigy
tombs and for being a round church
. It was heavily damaged during the Second World War but has been largely restored. The area around the Temple Church is known as the Temple and nearby is Temple Bar
and Temple tube station
.
in a structure originally established by Hughes de Payens
(the site had been historically the location of a Roman
temple in Londinium
). Because of the rapid growth of the order, by the 1160s the site had become too confined, and the Order purchased the current site for the establishment of a larger monastic
complex as their headquarters in England. In addition to the church, the new compound originally contained residences, military training facilities, and recreational grounds for the military brethren
and novices, who were not permitted to go into the city without the permission of the Master of the Temple.
The church building comprises two separate sections. The original nave
section, called the Round Church, and an adjoining rectangular section, built approximately half a century later, called the Chancel. In keeping with the traditions of the order, the nave of the church was constructed on a round design based on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
in Jerusalem. The nave is 55 feet in diameter
, and is surrounded by the first-ever free-standing dark Purbeck Marble
columns. It is probable that the walls and grotesque heads were originally painted in colours.
It was consecrated on February 10, 1185 in a ceremony by Heraclius
, Patriarch of Jerusalem
. It is believed that Henry II
was present at the consecration
.
as primus baro (the first baron
of the realm). The compound was regularly used as a residence by kings and by legate
s of the Pope. The Temple also served as an early depository bank
, sometimes in defiance of the Crown's wishes to seize the funds of nobles who had entrusted their wealth there. The independence and wealth of the order throughout Europe
is considered by most historians to have been the primary cause of its eventual downfall.
In January 1215 William Marshall
(who is buried in the nave next to his sons, under one of the 9 marble effigies of medieval knight
s there) served as a negotiator during a meeting in the Temple between King John
and the baron
s, who demanded that John uphold the rights enshrined the Coronation Charter of his predecessor Richard I
. William swore on behalf of the king that the grievances of the barons would be addressed in the summer, leading to John's signing of Magna Carta
in June.
William later became regent
during the reign of John's son, Henry III
. Henry later expressed a desire to be buried in the church and so, in the early 13th century, the choir
of the original church was pulled down and a new larger structure, now called the Chancel, was built. It was consecrated on Ascension Day 1240 and comprises a central aisle and two side aisle
s of identical width. The height of the vault is 36 feet 3 inches. One of Henry's sons, who died in infancy, is buried in the Chancel
, but Henry later altered his will with instructions to be interred in Westminster Abbey
.
took control of the church as a Crown possession. It was later given to the Knights Hospitaller
, who rented the Temple to two colleges of lawyers. One college moved into the part of the Temple previously used by the Temple's knights, and the other into the part previously used by its priests, and they shared the use of the church. The colleges evolved into the Inner
and Middle Temple
s, two of the four Inns of Court
(the other two being Lincoln's Inn
and Gray's Inn
).
In 1540, the church became the property of The Crown
once again when Henry VIII
abolished the Knights Hospitaller in England and confiscated their property. Henry provided a priest
for the church under the former title "Master of the Temple". In the 1580s, the church was the scene of the Battle of the Pulpit
s, a theological
conflict between the Puritans and supporters of the Elizabethan Compromise
. At that time, William Shakespeare
also knew it and hence, in his play Henry VI, part 1
, it and the Temple garden feature as the setting for the fictional scene of the plucking of two roses and the start of the 15th century Wars of the Roses
. In 2002, this was commemorated with the planting of new white and red roses in the modern gardens.
Following a later agreement in 1608 by James I
, the two Inns were granted the use of the church in perpetuity, and continue to use the Temple as their chapel, on condition that they supported and maintained the church.
The church was undamaged by the Great Fire of London
in 1666. Nevertheless, it was refurbished by Christopher Wren
, who made extensive modifications to the interior, including an altar screen and the introduction of an organ
to the church for the first time. The church was restored
in 1841 by Smirke and Burton, who decorated the walls and ceiling in the high Victorian Gothic style, in an attempt to bring the church back to its original appearance. Further restoration work was executed by James Piers St Aubyn
in 1862.
air raid of incendiary bombs set the roof of the Round Church on fire, and the fire quickly spread to the nave and chapel. The organ and all the wood parts of the church, including the Victorian renovations, were destroyed and the dark Purbeck marble columns of the Chancel cracked from the intense heat. Although these columns still supported the vault, they were deemed unsound and replaced by replicas. The original columns had a light outward lean, an architectural quirk which was duplicated in the replacement columns.
During the renovation by the architect Walter Godfrey
, it was discovered that the renovations made by Wren
in the 17th century were in storage and they were replaced in their original position. The church was rededicated in November 1958.
The church was designated a Grade I listed building on 4 January 1950.
Among other purposes, the structure was originally used for Templar initiation ceremonies. In England, the ceremony involved new recruits entering the Temple via the western door at dawn. The initiates would enter the circular nave, and then take monastic vows of piety, chastity, poverty and obedience. The details of initiation at the time were a closely guarded secret, though this secrecy later caused trouble as gossip and rumours spread about possible Templar blasphemy. These suspicions were manipulated and expanded by the Order's enemies, such as King Philip IV of France
.
The Temple Church holds regular church services, including Holy Communion and Mattins on Sunday morning. It also holds weddings, but only for members of the Inner and Middle Temples. The Temple Church serves both the Inner Temple and the Middle Temple as a private chapel.
The Temple Church has always been a peculiar, and the choristers have the privilege of wearing scarlet cassocks as a result. This means that it is subject to the jurisdiction of the Crown, and not of the Bishop of London
. Modern-day relations with the Bishop of London are, however, very good; he regularly attends events and services at the Temple Church.
The Bishop of London is also ex officio the Dean of the Chapels Royal.
by American author Dan Brown
and was also used as a location in The Da Vinci Code film
. The release of doves in the round church in the film relate to Ernest Lough
's (the most famous boy soprano
to come from Temple Church) recording of "O for the wings of a dove".
Recent lunchtime talks by the present Master (Reverend Robin Griffith-Jones
) have been on the subject of the Templars and the church's role in the novel, and he has published a book on the same topic.
The church offers regular choral music
performances and organ
recitals. A choir in the English cathedral tradition was established at the Temple Church in 1842 under the direction of Dr. E. J. Hopkins, and it soon earned a high reputation.
In 1927, the Temple Choir under George Thalben-Ball
became world famous with its recording of Mendelssohn
's Hear my Prayer, including the solo "O for the Wings of a Dove" sung by Ernest Lough
. This became one of the most popular recordings of all time by a church choir, and it sold strongly throughout the twentieth century, reaching gold disc status (a million copies) in 1962 and achieving an estimated 6 million sales to date.
The Temple Church's excellent acoustics have also attracted secular musicians: Sir John Barbirolli
recorded a famous performance of the Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis
by Ralph Vaughan Williams
there in 1962 (at the suggestion of Bernard Herrmann
), and Paul Tortelier
made his recording of the complete Bach Cello Suites there in April 1982.
The choir continues to record, broadcast and perform, in addition to its regular services at the Temple Church. It is an all-male choir, consisting of 18 boys who are all educated on generous scholarships (most of the boys attend the City of London School
although the scholarship is portable) and 12 professional men. They perform weekly at Sunday services, 11:15-12:15 PM, during term time. The choir gave the world premiere of Sir John Tavener
's epic "The Veil of the Temple", which took place over seven hours during an overnight vigil in the Temple Church in 2003. The following year it was performed by the choir at the Lincoln Festival in New York
; a concert version was performed at the BBC Proms
the same year. Two new recordings were released in 2010 on the Signum Classics label: one of the Temple Church Choir, and a recording of English organ music played by James Vivian. Both were critically acclaimed.
In December 2011, a new recording of the choir on the Signum Classics label will be available from the church (on official release in January 2012). The CD will contain musical settings of the Psalms by Allegri, Bernstein, Byrd, Parry, Purcell and Wesley. For more information, please refer to the official websites below.
organ. A current specification of the organ can be found on the Temple Church Choir website.
The Harrison organ will be completely renovated from July 2011 until Easter 2013. It will be removed from the organ chamber and will be thoroughly repaired and cleaned by Harrison & Harrison. A temporary organ has been installed for the duration of the work. For more details of the work or of the Organ Appeal, please visit The Temple Church Choir website.
Inner Temple
Middle Temple
(from 1814 for both Inner and Middle Temple)
. The present Master of the Temple is the Reverend Robin Griffith-Jones
, appointed in 1999. The Master gives regular lunchtime talks open to the public.
The official title of the Master of the Temple is the "Reverend and Valiant Master of the Temple"; this is not used on the Who's Who page of the official website or the Services page, but is confirmed by the Middle Temple
website (see http://www.middletemple.org.uk/History/Templars.html), and has been used by the current Master in interviews (see http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6335357.html and http://www.eerdmans.com/davinci.htm).
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
located between Fleet Street
Fleet Street
Fleet Street is a street in central London, United Kingdom, named after the River Fleet, a stream that now flows underground. It was the home of the British press until the 1980s...
and the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
, built for and by the Knights Templar
Knights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , commonly known as the Knights Templar, the Order of the Temple or simply as Templars, were among the most famous of the Western Christian military orders...
as their English headquarters. In modern times, two Inns of Court
Inns of Court
The Inns of Court in London are the professional associations for barristers in England and Wales. All such barristers must belong to one such association. They have supervisory and disciplinary functions over their members. The Inns also provide libraries, dining facilities and professional...
(Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
and Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
) both use the church. It is famous for its effigy
Effigy
An effigy is a representation of a person, especially in the form of sculpture or some other three-dimensional form.The term is usually associated with full-length figures of a deceased person depicted in stone or wood on church monuments. These most often lie supine with hands together in prayer,...
tombs and for being a round church
Round church
A round church is a special type of church construction, having a completely circular plan. Round churches are often found in Sweden and Denmark and were popular church constructions in Scandinavia in the 11th and early 12th centuries.Round churches should not be confused with the older types of...
. It was heavily damaged during the Second World War but has been largely restored. The area around the Temple Church is known as the Temple and nearby is Temple Bar
Temple Bar, London
Temple Bar is the barrier marking the westernmost extent of the City of London on the road to Westminster, where Fleet Street becomes the Strand...
and Temple tube station
Temple tube station
Temple is a London Underground station in the City of Westminster, between Victoria Embankment and Temple Place. It is on the Circle and District lines between Embankment and Blackfriars and is in Travelcard Zone 1. The station entrance is from Victoria Embankment...
.
Construction
In the mid 12th century, before the construction of the church, the Knights Templar in London had met at a site in High HolbornHigh Holborn
High Holborn is a road in Holborn in central London, England. It starts in the west near St Giles Circus, then goes east, past the Kingsway and Southampton Row, and continues east. The road becomes Holborn at the junction with Gray's Inn Road....
in a structure originally established by Hughes de Payens
Hughes de Payens
Hugues de Payens , also Hughes de Payns , Hughes de Pagan , a French knight from the Champagne region, was the co-founder and first Grand Master of the Knights Templar...
(the site had been historically the location of a Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
temple in Londinium
Londinium
The city of London was established by the Romans around AD 43. It served as a major imperial commercial centre until its abandonment during the 5th century.-Origins and language:...
). Because of the rapid growth of the order, by the 1160s the site had become too confined, and the Order purchased the current site for the establishment of a larger monastic
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
complex as their headquarters in England. In addition to the church, the new compound originally contained residences, military training facilities, and recreational grounds for the military brethren
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
and novices, who were not permitted to go into the city without the permission of the Master of the Temple.
The church building comprises two separate sections. The original nave
Cathedral diagram
In Western ecclesiastical architecture, a cathedral diagram is a floor plan showing the sections of walls and piers, giving an idea of the profiles of their columns and ribbing. Light double lines in perimeter walls indicate glazed windows. Dashed lines show the ribs of the vaulting overhead...
section, called the Round Church, and an adjoining rectangular section, built approximately half a century later, called the Chancel. In keeping with the traditions of the order, the nave of the church was constructed on a round design based on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Church of the Holy Sepulchre
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, also called the Church of the Resurrection by Eastern Christians, is a church within the walled Old City of Jerusalem. It is a few steps away from the Muristan....
in Jerusalem. The nave is 55 feet in diameter
Diameter
In geometry, a diameter of a circle is any straight line segment that passes through the center of the circle and whose endpoints are on the circle. The diameters are the longest chords of the circle...
, and is surrounded by the first-ever free-standing dark Purbeck Marble
Purbeck Marble
Purbeck Marble is a fossiliferous limestone quarried in the Isle of Purbeck, a peninsula in south-east Dorset, England.It is one of many kinds of Purbeck Limestone, deposited in the late Jurassic or early Cretaceous periods....
columns. It is probable that the walls and grotesque heads were originally painted in colours.
It was consecrated on February 10, 1185 in a ceremony by Heraclius
Patriarch Heraclius of Jerusalem
Heraclius or Eraclius , was archbishop of Caesarea and Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem.Heraclius was from the Gévaudan in Auvergne, France. Like his later rival William of Tyre he studied law at the University of Bologna: his contemporaries and friends included Stephen of Tournai and Gratian...
, Patriarch of Jerusalem
Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem is the title possessed by the Latin Rite Catholic Archbishop of Jerusalem. The Archdiocese of Jerusalem has jurisdiction for all Latin Rite Catholics in Israel, the Palestinian Territories, Jordan and Cyprus...
. It is believed that Henry II
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
was present at the consecration
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
.
1185–1307
The Knights Templar order was very powerful in England, with the Master of the Temple sitting in parliamentParliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
as primus baro (the first baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
of the realm). The compound was regularly used as a residence by kings and by legate
Papal legate
A papal legate – from the Latin, authentic Roman title Legatus – is a personal representative of the pope to foreign nations, or to some part of the Catholic Church. He is empowered on matters of Catholic Faith and for the settlement of ecclesiastical matters....
s of the Pope. The Temple also served as an early depository bank
Bank
A bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
, sometimes in defiance of the Crown's wishes to seize the funds of nobles who had entrusted their wealth there. The independence and wealth of the order throughout Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
is considered by most historians to have been the primary cause of its eventual downfall.
In January 1215 William Marshall
William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke
Sir William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke , also called William the Marshal , was an Anglo-Norman soldier and statesman. He was described as the "greatest knight that ever lived" by Stephen Langton...
(who is buried in the nave next to his sons, under one of the 9 marble effigies of medieval knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
s there) served as a negotiator during a meeting in the Temple between King John
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
and the baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
s, who demanded that John uphold the rights enshrined the Coronation Charter of his predecessor Richard I
Richard I of England
Richard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...
. William swore on behalf of the king that the grievances of the barons would be addressed in the summer, leading to John's signing of Magna Carta
Magna Carta
Magna Carta is an English charter, originally issued in the year 1215 and reissued later in the 13th century in modified versions, which included the most direct challenges to the monarch's authority to date. The charter first passed into law in 1225...
in June.
William later became regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
during the reign of John's son, Henry III
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
. Henry later expressed a desire to be buried in the church and so, in the early 13th century, the choir
Cathedral diagram
In Western ecclesiastical architecture, a cathedral diagram is a floor plan showing the sections of walls and piers, giving an idea of the profiles of their columns and ribbing. Light double lines in perimeter walls indicate glazed windows. Dashed lines show the ribs of the vaulting overhead...
of the original church was pulled down and a new larger structure, now called the Chancel, was built. It was consecrated on Ascension Day 1240 and comprises a central aisle and two side aisle
Aisle
An aisle is, in general, a space for walking with rows of seats on both sides or with rows of seats on one side and a wall on the other...
s of identical width. The height of the vault is 36 feet 3 inches. One of Henry's sons, who died in infancy, is buried in the Chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
, but Henry later altered his will with instructions to be interred in Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
.
Crown seizure
After the destruction and abolition of the Knights Templar in 1307, Edward IIEdward II of England
Edward II , called Edward of Caernarfon, was King of England from 1307 until he was deposed by his wife Isabella in January 1327. He was the sixth Plantagenet king, in a line that began with the reign of Henry II...
took control of the church as a Crown possession. It was later given to the Knights Hospitaller
Knights Hospitaller
The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta , also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Order of Malta or Knights of Malta, is a Roman Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. It is the world's...
, who rented the Temple to two colleges of lawyers. One college moved into the part of the Temple previously used by the Temple's knights, and the other into the part previously used by its priests, and they shared the use of the church. The colleges evolved into the Inner
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
and Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
s, two of the four Inns of Court
Inns of Court
The Inns of Court in London are the professional associations for barristers in England and Wales. All such barristers must belong to one such association. They have supervisory and disciplinary functions over their members. The Inns also provide libraries, dining facilities and professional...
(the other two being Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
and Gray's Inn
Gray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
).
16th–19th centuries
The Crown
The Crown is a corporation sole that in the Commonwealth realms and any provincial or state sub-divisions thereof represents the legal embodiment of governance, whether executive, legislative, or judicial...
once again when Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
abolished the Knights Hospitaller in England and confiscated their property. Henry provided a priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
for the church under the former title "Master of the Temple". In the 1580s, the church was the scene of the Battle of the Pulpit
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
s, a theological
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
conflict between the Puritans and supporters of the Elizabethan Compromise
Elizabethan Religious Settlement
The Elizabethan Religious Settlement was Elizabeth I’s response to the religious divisions created over the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI and Mary I. This response, described as "The Revolution of 1559", was set out in two Acts of the Parliament of England...
. At that time, William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
also knew it and hence, in his play Henry VI, part 1
Henry VI, part 1
Henry VI, Part 1 or The First Part of Henry the Sixt is a history play by William Shakespeare, and possibly Thomas Nashe, believed to have been written in 1591, and set during the lifetime of King Henry VI of England...
, it and the Temple garden feature as the setting for the fictional scene of the plucking of two roses and the start of the 15th century Wars of the Roses
Wars of the Roses
The Wars of the Roses were a series of dynastic civil wars for the throne of England fought between supporters of two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet: the houses of Lancaster and York...
. In 2002, this was commemorated with the planting of new white and red roses in the modern gardens.
Following a later agreement in 1608 by James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
, the two Inns were granted the use of the church in perpetuity, and continue to use the Temple as their chapel, on condition that they supported and maintained the church.
The church was undamaged by the Great Fire of London
Great Fire of London
The Great Fire of London was a major conflagration that swept through the central parts of the English city of London, from Sunday, 2 September to Wednesday, 5 September 1666. The fire gutted the medieval City of London inside the old Roman City Wall...
in 1666. Nevertheless, it was refurbished by Christopher Wren
Christopher Wren
Sir Christopher Wren FRS is one of the most highly acclaimed English architects in history.He used to be accorded responsibility for rebuilding 51 churches in the City of London after the Great Fire in 1666, including his masterpiece, St. Paul's Cathedral, on Ludgate Hill, completed in 1710...
, who made extensive modifications to the interior, including an altar screen and the introduction of an organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
to the church for the first time. The church was restored
Victorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
in 1841 by Smirke and Burton, who decorated the walls and ceiling in the high Victorian Gothic style, in an attempt to bring the church back to its original appearance. Further restoration work was executed by James Piers St Aubyn
James Piers St Aubyn
James Piers St Aubyn , often referred to as J. P. St Aubyn, was an English architect of the Victorian era, known for his church architecture and confident restorations.-Early life:...
in 1862.
Second World War
On May 10, 1941, a GermanNazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
air raid of incendiary bombs set the roof of the Round Church on fire, and the fire quickly spread to the nave and chapel. The organ and all the wood parts of the church, including the Victorian renovations, were destroyed and the dark Purbeck marble columns of the Chancel cracked from the intense heat. Although these columns still supported the vault, they were deemed unsound and replaced by replicas. The original columns had a light outward lean, an architectural quirk which was duplicated in the replacement columns.
During the renovation by the architect Walter Godfrey
Walter Godfrey
Walter Hindes Godfrey CBE, FSA, FRIBA , was an English architect, antiquary, and architectural and topographical historian. He was also a landscape architect and designer, and an accomplished draftsman and illustrator...
, it was discovered that the renovations made by Wren
Christopher Wren
Sir Christopher Wren FRS is one of the most highly acclaimed English architects in history.He used to be accorded responsibility for rebuilding 51 churches in the City of London after the Great Fire in 1666, including his masterpiece, St. Paul's Cathedral, on Ludgate Hill, completed in 1710...
in the 17th century were in storage and they were replaced in their original position. The church was rededicated in November 1958.
The church was designated a Grade I listed building on 4 January 1950.
Use
Philip IV of France
Philip the Fair was, as Philip IV, King of France from 1285 until his death. He was the husband of Joan I of Navarre, by virtue of which he was, as Philip I, King of Navarre and Count of Champagne from 1284 to 1305.-Youth:A member of the House of Capet, Philip was born at the Palace of...
.
The Temple Church holds regular church services, including Holy Communion and Mattins on Sunday morning. It also holds weddings, but only for members of the Inner and Middle Temples. The Temple Church serves both the Inner Temple and the Middle Temple as a private chapel.
The Temple Church has always been a peculiar, and the choristers have the privilege of wearing scarlet cassocks as a result. This means that it is subject to the jurisdiction of the Crown, and not of the Bishop of London
Bishop of London
The Bishop of London is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of London in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers 458 km² of 17 boroughs of Greater London north of the River Thames and a small part of the County of Surrey...
. Modern-day relations with the Bishop of London are, however, very good; he regularly attends events and services at the Temple Church.
The Bishop of London is also ex officio the Dean of the Chapels Royal.
In The Da Vinci Code
The church was featured in the controversial popular novel The Da Vinci CodeThe Da Vinci Code
The Da Vinci Code is a 2003 mystery-detective novel written by Dan Brown. It follows symbologist Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu as they investigate a murder in Paris's Louvre Museum and discover a battle between the Priory of Sion and Opus Dei over the possibility of Jesus having been married to...
by American author Dan Brown
Dan Brown
Dan Brown is an American author of thriller fiction, best known for the 2003 bestselling novel, The Da Vinci Code. Brown's novels, which are treasure hunts set in a 24-hour time period, feature the recurring themes of cryptography, keys, symbols, codes, and conspiracy theories...
and was also used as a location in The Da Vinci Code film
The Da Vinci Code (film)
The Da Vinci Code is a 2006 American mystery thriller film directed by Ron Howard. The screenplay was written by Akiva Goldsman and based on Dan Brown's worldwide bestselling 2003 novel, The Da Vinci Code...
. The release of doves in the round church in the film relate to Ernest Lough
Ernest Lough
Ernest Arthur Lough was an English boy soprano who sang the famous solo O for the Wings of a Dove from Mendelssohn's Hear My Prayer for the Gramophone Company in 1927. The record became HMV's biggest seller for 1927, and made the piece, the choir and the soloist world famous...
's (the most famous boy soprano
Boy soprano
A boy soprano is a young male singer with an unchanged voice in the soprano range. Although a treble, or choirboy, may also be considered to be a boy soprano, the more colloquial term boy soprano is generally only used for boys who sing, perform, or record as soloists, and who may not necessarily...
to come from Temple Church) recording of "O for the wings of a dove".
Recent lunchtime talks by the present Master (Reverend Robin Griffith-Jones
Robin Griffith-Jones
Robin Griffith-Jones is a Church of England priest, Master of the Temple in London.He was educated at Westminster School and New College, Oxford, before working at Christie's for some years...
) have been on the subject of the Templars and the church's role in the novel, and he has published a book on the same topic.
Music at the Temple Church
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
performances and organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
recitals. A choir in the English cathedral tradition was established at the Temple Church in 1842 under the direction of Dr. E. J. Hopkins, and it soon earned a high reputation.
In 1927, the Temple Choir under George Thalben-Ball
George Thalben-Ball
Sir George Thomas Thalben-Ball CBE was an organist and composer who, though originally from Australia, spent most of his life in Britain....
became world famous with its recording of Mendelssohn
Felix Mendelssohn
Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Barthóldy , use the form 'Mendelssohn' and not 'Mendelssohn Bartholdy'. The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians gives ' Felix Mendelssohn' as the entry, with 'Mendelssohn' used in the body text...
's Hear my Prayer, including the solo "O for the Wings of a Dove" sung by Ernest Lough
Ernest Lough
Ernest Arthur Lough was an English boy soprano who sang the famous solo O for the Wings of a Dove from Mendelssohn's Hear My Prayer for the Gramophone Company in 1927. The record became HMV's biggest seller for 1927, and made the piece, the choir and the soloist world famous...
. This became one of the most popular recordings of all time by a church choir, and it sold strongly throughout the twentieth century, reaching gold disc status (a million copies) in 1962 and achieving an estimated 6 million sales to date.
The Temple Church's excellent acoustics have also attracted secular musicians: Sir John Barbirolli
John Barbirolli
Sir John Barbirolli, CH was an English conductor and cellist. Born in London, of Italian and French parentage, he grew up in a family of professional musicians. His father and grandfather were violinists...
recorded a famous performance of the Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis
Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis
Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, also known as the Tallis Fantasia, is a work for string orchestra by the British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams. It was composed in 1910, and performed for the first time in September of that year at Gloucester Cathedral for the Three Choirs Festival...
by Ralph Vaughan Williams
Ralph Vaughan Williams
Ralph Vaughan Williams OM was an English composer of symphonies, chamber music, opera, choral music, and film scores. He was also a collector of English folk music and song: this activity both influenced his editorial approach to the English Hymnal, beginning in 1904, in which he included many...
there in 1962 (at the suggestion of Bernard Herrmann
Bernard Herrmann
Bernard Herrmann was an American composer noted for his work in motion pictures.An Academy Award-winner , Herrmann is particularly known for his collaborations with director Alfred Hitchcock, most famously Psycho, North by Northwest, The Man Who Knew Too Much, and Vertigo...
), and Paul Tortelier
Paul Tortelier
Paul Tortelier was a French cellist and composer.Tortelier was born in Paris, the son of a cabinet maker with Breton roots. He was encouraged to play the cello by his father Joseph and mother Marguerite , and at 12 he entered the Paris Conservatoire. He studied the cello there with Gérard Hekking...
made his recording of the complete Bach Cello Suites there in April 1982.
The choir continues to record, broadcast and perform, in addition to its regular services at the Temple Church. It is an all-male choir, consisting of 18 boys who are all educated on generous scholarships (most of the boys attend the City of London School
City of London School
The City of London School is a boys' independent day school on the banks of the River Thames in the City of London, England. It is the brother school of the City of London School for Girls and the co-educational City of London Freemen's School...
although the scholarship is portable) and 12 professional men. They perform weekly at Sunday services, 11:15-12:15 PM, during term time. The choir gave the world premiere of Sir John Tavener
John Tavener
Sir John Tavener is a British composer, best known for such religious, minimal works as "The Whale", and "Funeral Ikos"...
's epic "The Veil of the Temple", which took place over seven hours during an overnight vigil in the Temple Church in 2003. The following year it was performed by the choir at the Lincoln Festival in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
; a concert version was performed at the BBC Proms
The Proms
The Proms, more formally known as The BBC Proms, or The Henry Wood Promenade Concerts presented by the BBC, is an eight-week summer season of daily orchestral classical music concerts and other events held annually, predominantly in the Royal Albert Hall in London...
the same year. Two new recordings were released in 2010 on the Signum Classics label: one of the Temple Church Choir, and a recording of English organ music played by James Vivian. Both were critically acclaimed.
In December 2011, a new recording of the choir on the Signum Classics label will be available from the church (on official release in January 2012). The CD will contain musical settings of the Psalms by Allegri, Bernstein, Byrd, Parry, Purcell and Wesley. For more information, please refer to the official websites below.
Organ
The church contains two organs: a chamber organ built by Robin Jennings in 2001, and a four manual Harrison & HarrisonHarrison & Harrison
Harrison & Harrison Ltd are a British company that make and restore pipe organs, based in Durham and established in 1861. They are well known for their work on instruments such as King's College Cambridge, Westminster Abbey and the Royal Festival Hall....
organ. A current specification of the organ can be found on the Temple Church Choir website.
The Harrison organ will be completely renovated from July 2011 until Easter 2013. It will be removed from the organ chamber and will be thoroughly repaired and cleaned by Harrison & Harrison. A temporary organ has been installed for the duration of the work. For more details of the work or of the Organ Appeal, please visit The Temple Church Choir website.
List of organists
It has had a number of famous organists, including- Francis Pigott 1688 - 1704
- John Pigott 1704 - 1737 (from 1729 for Middle Temple only)
Inner Temple
- Obadiah ShuttleworthObadiah ShuttleworthObadiah Shuttleworth , English composer, violinist and organist, was the son of Thomas Shuttleworth of Spitalfields in London. Thomas was a professional music copyist and harpsichord player.The exact date of Obadiah's birth is uncertain....
1729 - 1734 - John StanleyJohn Stanley (composer)Charles John Stanley was an English composer and organist.-Biography:Stanley, who was blind from an early age, studied music with Maurice Greene and held a number of organist appointments in London, such as St Andrew's, Holborn from 1726...
1734 - 1786 - Robert John Samuel StevensR. J. S. StevensRichard John Samuel Stevens was an English composer and organist.-Biography:...
1786 - 1810 - George Price 1810 - 1814
Middle Temple
- John Pigott 1729 - 1737
- James Vincent 1737 - 1749
- John JonesJohn Jones (organist)John Jones was an English organist, who served at the St Paul's Cathedral.-Background:He was a chorister of St. Paul's Cathedral under Maurice Greene....
1749 - 1796 - Emily Dowding 1796 - 1814
(from 1814 for both Inner and Middle Temple)
- George Price 1814 - 1826
- George Warne 1826 - 1843
- Dr. Edward John Hopkins 1843 - 1897
- Sir Henry Walford DaviesHenry Walford DaviesSir Henry Walford Davies KCVO OBE was a British composer, who held the title Master of the King's Musick from 1934 until 1941.-Early life and education:...
1897 - 1923 - Sir George Thalben-BallGeorge Thalben-BallSir George Thomas Thalben-Ball CBE was an organist and composer who, though originally from Australia, spent most of his life in Britain....
1923 - 1982 - Dr John BirchJohn Birch (musician)John Birch is an internationally renowned Recitalist, Concert Organist and Organ Scholar. He was educated at Trent College, Derbyshire and left in July 1947 to study at the Royal College of Music, London....
1982 - 1997 - Stephen LaytonStephen LaytonStephen Layton is an English conductor.Layton was raised in Derby, where his father was a church organist. Layton learned the piano as a youth. He was a chorister at Winchester Cathedral, and subsequently won scholarships to Eton College and then King's College, Cambridge as an organ...
1997 - 2006 - James VivianJames VivianJames Vivian FRCO is Organist & Director of Music of the historic Temple Church in London, where he presides over the choir of men and boys and the 1924 Harrison & Harrison organ....
2006 - current
Master of the Temple
The church always has two clergy, called the "Master of the Temple" and the "Reader of the Temple" respectively. The title of the Master of the Temple recalls the title of the head of the former order of the Knights TemplarKnights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , commonly known as the Knights Templar, the Order of the Temple or simply as Templars, were among the most famous of the Western Christian military orders...
. The present Master of the Temple is the Reverend Robin Griffith-Jones
Robin Griffith-Jones
Robin Griffith-Jones is a Church of England priest, Master of the Temple in London.He was educated at Westminster School and New College, Oxford, before working at Christie's for some years...
, appointed in 1999. The Master gives regular lunchtime talks open to the public.
The official title of the Master of the Temple is the "Reverend and Valiant Master of the Temple"; this is not used on the Who's Who page of the official website or the Services page, but is confirmed by the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
website (see http://www.middletemple.org.uk/History/Templars.html), and has been used by the current Master in interviews (see http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6335357.html and http://www.eerdmans.com/davinci.htm).
List of recent Masters of the Temple
- Revd Robin Griffith-JonesRobin Griffith-JonesRobin Griffith-Jones is a Church of England priest, Master of the Temple in London.He was educated at Westminster School and New College, Oxford, before working at Christie's for some years...
1999- - Revd CanonCanon (priest)A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
Joseph Robinson, BDBachelor of DivinityIn Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies....
M.ThMaster of TheologyA Master of Theology is an advanced theological research degree offered by universities, divinity schools, and seminaries.-North America:In North America, the Master of Theology is considered by the Association of Theological Schools to be the minimum educational credential for teaching...
FKC 1980-1999 - Very Revd Robert MilburnRobert Leslie Pollington MilburnRobert Leslie Pollington "Bobby" Milburn FSA was an Anglican priest in the 20th century.Milburn was educated at Oundle School and Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge and ordained in 1935. Between then and 1957 he was a fellow, tutor and chaplain at Worcester College, Oxford...
, MVORoyal Victorian OrderThe Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
1968-1980 - Revd CanonCanon (priest)A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
Theodore Milford, MAMaster of Arts (postgraduate)A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
1958-1968 - Revd CanonCanon (priest)A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
Harold Anson c.38 - Rt Revd Ernest William BarnesErnest William BarnesErnest William Barnes FRS was an English mathematician and scientist who later became a theologian and bishop....
1915-1919
Buried in the church
- William Marshal, 1st Earl of PembrokeWilliam Marshal, 1st Earl of PembrokeSir William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke , also called William the Marshal , was an Anglo-Norman soldier and statesman. He was described as the "greatest knight that ever lived" by Stephen Langton...
(1146–1219) - Francis RogersFrancis James Newman RogersFrancis James Newman Rogers, KC , was an English barrister, judge and legal author, Deputy Judge Advocate General from 1842 until his death in 1851. Rogers on Elections was the standard reference work for most of the 19th century.-Life:...
(1791–1851) - Sir John TremayneJohn Tremayne (1647–1694)Sir John Tremayne SL was an English lawyer and politician. He became a Serjeant-at-Law and King's Serjeant in 1689, acting as counsel during a number of cases before the House of Lords...
(1647–1694) - Silvester de EverdonSilvester de EverdonSilvester de Everdon was a medieval Bishop of Carlisle and Lord Chancellor of England.-Life:Everdon came from the village of Everdon, near Daventry in Northamptonshire, but other than the fact that he was related to a locally prominent family of Thorp, nothing else is known of his ancestry. He was...
See also
- List of churches and cathedrals of London
- City of LondonCity of LondonThe City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
- Inner TempleInner TempleThe Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
- Middle TempleMiddle TempleThe Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
- John SeldenJohn SeldenJohn Selden was an English jurist and a scholar of England's ancient laws and constitution and scholar of Jewish law...
- Temple (Paris)Temple (Paris)The Temple was a medieval fortress in Paris, located in what is now the IIIe arrondissement. It was built by the Knights Templar from the 12th century, as their European headquarters. In the 13th century it replaced earlier works of the Vieille Temple in Le Marais...
- medieval Knights Templar European headquarters.
External links
- Official website of the Temple Church
- Official website detailing the music of the Temple Church
- Middle Temple's website
- Inner Temple's website
- 2008 Temple Festival website
- Temple Church - Sacred Destinations article with large photo gallery
- Black and white images of the Temple - Pitt University
- Ground plan and discussion of round shape - Rosslyn Templars
- The History of the Knights Templar, by Charles Greenstreet AddisonCharles Greenstreet AddisonCharles Greenstreet Addison was an English barrister and historical, travel and legal writer.-Life:He was the son of W. Dering Addison, of Maidstone. He was elected to the bar in 1842, joined the home circuit, and was a revising barrister for Kent...
, with extensive history and description of Temple Church