A tranquil refuge for lawyers
To pass through the gateway on Chancery Lane is to leave the noise of London behind and to step into an older, quieter world. Mature plane trees spread their boughs over beautifully kept lawns. A varied ensemble of historic buildings borders courtyards where the atmosphere is reminiscent of an ancient university – and indeed Lincoln’s Inn, one of four institutions of the legal profession that possess their own enclave in central London, was once a place where law students lived. Those who wish to qualify as a barrister must be members of these »inns of court«, which are a kind of professional association whose responsibilities include training young lawyers. Like the nearby Gray’s Inn, Inner Temple and Middle Temple, Lincoln’s Inn is home to barristers’ chambers and collegiate institutions such as a chapel, hall and library.
Lincoln’s Inn is first mentioned in documents in 1422, but probably existed decades earlier. The gatehouse dates from 1520, the Old Hall, which is used for meals, debates and festivities, from the year 1490. The scholar and Lord Chancellor of England Thomas More, who enrolled in 1496, is one of many eminent persons who dined in this hall. Five prime ministers – Pitt the Younger, Gladstone, Asquith, Thatcher and Blair – were members of Lincoln’s Inn. Visitors can walk in the courtyards but not enter the buildings with the exception of the Gothic chapel, completed in 1623 and restored 60 years later by Wren, also a member of the Inn. It became an early casualty of air warfare in 1915, when bombs dropped from a zeppelin destroyed two stained-glass windows. The Stone Buildings in classical style running north along Chancery Lane date mainly from the 18th century, the red-brick segment of the library and Great Hall from the 19th century. These parts combine to form a harmonious ensemble, and a refreshing contrast to the neighbouring streets.
Info
Address Chancery Lane, WC2A 3TL | Public Transport Chancery Lane (Central Line) | Hours Courtyards Mon–Fri 7am–7pm, chapel Mon–Fri 9am–5pm| Tip Dealers in the bazaar-like subterranean Silver Vaults sell an extraordinary range of silver products, some of them extremely precious (53–64 Chancery Lane, Mon–Fri 9am–5.30pm, Sat 9am–1pm).
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