Page 145 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - London

HOLBORN AND THE INNS OF C OUR T  143

from the Knights Templar, a
chivalrous order that used to
protect pilgrims to the Holy
Land. The order was based here
until it was suppressed by the
Crown because its power was
viewed as a threat. Initiations
probably took place in the crypt
of Temple Church and there are
13th-century effigies of Knights
Templar in the nave.
Among some other ancient
buildings is the Middle Temple
William Capon’s engraving of Fleet Street in 1799 Hall. Its fine Elizabethan interior
survives. Behind Temple,
9 Temple Bar headquarters of The Daily peaceful lawns stretch lazily
Memorial Telegraph. Next to the church of down towards the Embankment.
St-Dunstan-in-the-West (which
Fleet St EC4. Map 14 D2. 1 Holborn, largely dates from the 1830s) is
Temple, Chancery Lane. a building adorned with the
names of former newspapers.
The monument in the middle of The printing presses under-
Fleet Street dates from 1880 and neath the newspaper offices
marks the entrance to the City were abandoned in 1987, when
of London. On state occasions it new technology made it easy
is a long-standing tradition for to produce papers away from
the monarch to pause here and the centre of town in areas such
ask permission of the Lord Mayor as Wapping and the Docklands.
to enter. Temple Bar, a huge arch- Today the news papers have
way designed by Wren, used also left Fleet Street, even
to stand here. It spent over though some of the journalists’
a century in the grounds of a traditional watering holes The impressive organ in the historic
country estate in Hertfordshire remain, such as Ye Olde Cheshire Temple Church
before being erected at the Cheese public house (see p144),
entrance of Paternoster Square and the legendary El Vino wine w St Bride’s
near St Paul’s Cathedral (see bar, at the western end opposite Fleet St EC4. Map 14 F2. Tel 020 7427
pp152–5) in 2004. Fetter Lane.
0133. 1 Blackfriars. Open 8am–6pm
Mon–Fri, 10am–6:30pm Sun (hours
0 Fleet Street q Temple vary Sat). Closed pub hols. 7 8
3pm Tue. 5 11am & 5:30pm Sun. =
EC4. Map 14 E1. 1 Temple, Inner Temple, King’s Bench Walk EC4. Concerts. ∑ stbrides.com
Blackfriars, St Paul’s. Map 14 E2. Tel 020 7797 8241 (for
tours). 1 Temple. Open 12:30–3pm St Bride’s is one of Wren’s best-
England’s first printing press Mon–Fri (grounds only). 7 Middle loved churches. Its position just
was set up by William Caxton Temple Hall, Middle Temple Lane EC4. off Fleet Street has made it the
in the late 15th century. Some Tel 020 7427 4800. Open 10am–noon traditional venue for memorial
years later, his assistant began Mon–Fri. Closed at short notice for services to departed journalists.
his own business in Fleet Street, functions. 7 8 book ahead. ^ Wall plaques commemorate
and the area became the centre Temple Church Tel 020 7353 8559. notable pressmen and women
of London’s publishing industry. Open Mon–Fri; call ahead to check and printers. The marvellous
Playwrights Shake speare and times. & 5 1:15pm Thu, octagonal layered spire
Ben Jonson were patrons of 8:30am & 11:15am Sun. has been the model
∑ templechurch.com
the old Mitre tavern, now for tiered wedding
No. 37 Fleet Street. In 1702, cakes since shortly
the first newspaper, The Daily This series of after it was added in
Courant, was issued from Fleet courtyards and 1703. Bombed in 1940,
Street – conveniently placed buildings comprises the interior was faith-
for the City and Westminster, two of the four Inns of fully restored after
which were the main sources Court: the Middle World War II. The
of news. Later the street Temple and the Inner fascinating crypt contains
became synonymous with Temple. Lincoln’s Inn remnants of earlier
the Press. The grand Art Deco (see p140) and Gray’s Inn Stonework at St Bride’s, churches on the site,
building with Egyptian-style (see p145) complete the traditionally the and a section of
detail at No. 135 is the former four. The name derives “journalists’ church” Roman pavement.

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