Saxons, Templars & Lawyers in the Inner Temple, Archaeological investigations in Church Court and Hare Court
By Jonathan Butler
PCA Monograph No. 4: 2005
This volume tells the story of the Saxons, Templars and Lawyers who previously occupied the quiet courtyards of the Inner Temple.
Here, beyond the recognized extent of Lundenwic, a Middle Saxon weapon burial and occupation activity were surprising finds, although previous discoveries in the area included a hoard of coins, possibly buried in response to the escalating threat of Viking raids in the mid 9th century.
In the mid 12th century the Knights Templar took possession of the site and built their characteristic Round Church. The church itself was extensively rebuilt in the mid 20th century, following bomb damage during the Second World War. The recovery of worked stone and marble, alongside floor tiles from the interior of the Church, has enabled some reconstruction of the Church's earlier fabric and appearance. Structural remains of a previously elusive eastern cloister were also found.
A single pit at Hare Court produced over two thousand sherds of pottery that, alongside other contemporary artefacts, illustrate the boisterous lifestyle of the 17th century lawyers inhabiting the Inns of Court.
PCA Monograph 4
ISBN: 0-9542938-3-5
126pp, 99 illustrations, colour and B&W
Published by: PCA, London 2005
Price: 16.95
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