Members of the Cambridge Society spent a crisp early spring afternoon afternoon on 2nd March exploring the hidden squares, gardens and alleyways of Legal London, around Temple and Lincoln’s Inn, on a tour led by Blue Badge Tourist Guide Caroline Piper.
The afternoon was chilly but sunny, with pretty snowdrops and crocuses in the gardens, and even a few brave daffodils and blossom trees beginning to bloom. Wandering around Temple and Lincoln’s Inn is the closest you can get to a Cambridge college atmosphere in London; walled in precincts accessed through old fashioned doorways and gatehouses, with communal dining halls, libraries, chapels and barristers’ chambers (or “staircases”). Having largely survived the Blitz undamaged, there is a wonderful picturesque mix of architecture, including the stunning Norman Romanesque Temple Church, 1620s Lincoln’s Inn Chapel, late 17th century Wren architecture and wonderful Victorian Neo-Gothic/Tudor “new builds”. The history of the area is equally varied and diverse, full of eccentric stories, and the gardens are a green oasis of calm.
For anyone searching for a break from the hustle and bustle of modern London life, I recommend a visit Monday- Friday 12 – 3pm when the gardens are open to the public.
Some photos from the day are available via our Facebook Group.
Organised by Caroline Piper
