The Temple Church

The Knights Templar in London

Gated community of warriors
The Church was at the centre of a substantial complex of buildings - including cloisters, chapels, halls, mills, a brewhouse and a granary grew up around Temple Church. Walls and gates landing stages from the Thames. Think of it as a gated community of warrior knights - another way of looking at it as the HQ of a band of medieval superheroes. 

These highly trained soldiers protected pilgrims while making the most dangerous journeys of their lives. Financial gratitude made the organisation wealthy and powerful. King of Jerusalem was so impressed by their bravery; he gave them a base at the Temple of Solomon.

The Holy Land lost
The failure of the religious order to maintain a foothold in the Holy Land rendered them obsolete. They became a target of persecution mainly from King Philip of France (1268-1314) and accused of blasphemy. The King's motive was that he owed the Knights substantial funds and was unable to make payments, he was bankrupt. The knights disbanded. 

The greatest knight
The Greatest of all Knights Templar must be William Marshal. William served four volatile English monarchs, managed difficult political situations, was a signatory and creator of the Magna Carta and fought and won numerous battles. 

His story is an epic involving travelling to Jerusalem, fighting when aged 70 and defeating 500 plus knights in tournaments. Most of the evidence suggests that William Marshal was an honourable warrior and understood Magna Carta's value, the document limiting the monarch's power. While William was regent and protector of the boy King Henry III, he made sure Magna Carta was re-issued seeing its value in curbing the authority of unaccountable Kings.  

The grave of William Marshal remains in the round part of the Temple Church. There is also a display telling the story and meaning of the Magna Carta. 

The American Declaration of Independence 
Links with the Temple Church and the United States are strong. Temple lawyers draw up the declaration of Independence sighting a clause in Magna Carta. Without representation in parliament, the taxation applied to the Englishman in America was viewed as unlawful. 

The Temple Church has superb acoustics; we will try to time your visit to include a concert.

Touring and accommodation
The best places to stay in London are Mayfair, St James, and the Royal Borough of Kensington. If you are considering day tours from London, staying further west in Kensington makes sense. Harrods and Hyde Park are close. Staying in Mayfair and St James will give you easy access to Green Park, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park and high-end shops. The theatre district called the ‘West End’ is a short hop too. Here is our recommended collection of the Best Four and Five-Star Hotel in London. 

Our Tour Designers are here to customise your private tours of London and day tours from London. Tell us about you and your interests, and we will create a tailor-made tour. Our Walking Tour of Old London, includes The Temple Church.

If this is your first time to England, we would recommend a custom version of your Town and Country Tour; it covers the famous places and allows you to utilise your private driver-guide by getting-off-the-beaten-path. Our Classic tour of Ireland is a good place to start for the first trip to Ireland, and we suggest the Classic tour of Scotland for your first trip to the bonny Highlands. Merging Wales with England makes for a dynamic experience of mountains, stately homes and cosy country pubs.