Temple Bar

Names

  • Temple Bar
  • Bar of the New Temple
  • Barram Novi Templi
  • la Temple barre
  • Templebarre
  • Temple Barr

Street/Area/District

  • Fleet Street

Maps & Views

Descriptions

from A Dictionary of London, by Henry Harben (1918)

Temple Bar

At the western end of Fleet Street on the boundary of Farringdon Ward Without (O.S. 1848–50).

A gateway separating Fleet Street from the Strand and forming the western boundary of the City Liberties.

First mention: "Barram Novi Templi," 21 Ed. I. (Cal. I. p.m.). Other forms: "La Temple barre," 1351 (Ct. H.W. I. 653).

Strype says in old times there were only posts, rails, and a chain there as at Holborn, and that the Gate was a later erection, first of timber, but after the Fire much larger and of Stone with side posterns (ed. 1720, I. iii. 278). It is referred to as "the gate called Templebarre," 1353 (Cal. P.R. 1350–4, pp. 528–530).

There was a prison there as well as at Neugate and the Flete, 1351 (Ct. H.W. I. 653).

Removed 1878 as obstructing the traffic. The Griffin now marks the site of the Bar.

After the removal of the gateway in 1878–9 remains were found of a staircase and chambers, proving that the gate had been intended originally to accommodate a custodian and had possibly been designed as a guard-house (Trans. L. and M. Arch. Soc. VI. 235).

Temple Bar has always possessed a unique interest, as being the point at which the sovereign entered the City in state, receiving from the Lord Mayor the sword of the City, which the sovereign restored into his keeping forthwith.

from Lockie's Topography of London, by John Lockie (1810)

Temple-Bar,—the gate which divides the W. end of Fleet-st. from the Strand.

from A Topographical Dictionary of London and Its Environs, by James Elmes (1831)

Tempe-Bar, Fleet-street, is the western extremity of the city, in that direction, and consists of a carriage-way and two postern gates for foot passengers. It is from the designs of Sir Christopher Wren.

from London Past and Present: Its History, Associations, and Traditions, by Henry Benjamin Wheatley and Peter Cunningham (1891)

Temple Bar, a gateway of Portland stone which, until 1878, separated the Strand from Fleet Street. The first mention of Temple Bar occurs in 1301 in a grant of land in the parish of St. Clement Danes, extra Barram Novi Templi. At that time the gate of the City was Ludgate, and the bar or chain put up at the end of Fleet Street by the Knights Templars marked the boundary of the territory under the control of the City, but without its walls. As the City increased in population the space within the walls became too limited, and these extra-mural lands were put under the control of the ward which they adjoined; hence the without and within added to the names of certain of the wards.

Temple Bar is the place where the freedom of the City of London and the Liberty of the City of Westminster doth part: which separation was anciently only Posts, Rails and a Chain; such as now are at Holbourn, Smithfield and Whitechapel Bars. Afterwards there was a House of Timber, erected cross the street, with a narrow gateway, and an entry on the south side of it under the house.—Strype, B. iii. p. 278.

The gate, described by Strype, of which a drawing is given in Hollar's seven-sheet Map of London, was taken down after the Great Fire, and a new Bar erected 1670–1672 from the designs of Sir Christopher Wren. On the east side, in niches, were the statues of King James I. and his Queen, Anne of Denmark, and on the west side those of Charles I. and Charles II., all by John Bushnell, who died in 1701. This gate was removed in the winter of 1878–1879, and the stones (about 1000) remained exposed to the weather for ten years. The work of re-erecting Temple Bar at the entrance to Sir Henry B. Meux's private grounds, Theobalds, Waltham Cross, was completed December 3, 1888. There was an old custom connected with Temple Bar which deserves mention. The gates were invariably closed by the City authorities whenever the Sovereign had occasion to enter the City. A herald sounded a trumpet before the gate—another herald knocked —a parley ensued—the gates were then thrown open, and the Lord Mayor for the time being made over the sword of the City to the Sovereign, who graciously returned it to the Mayor. Stow describes in his Annales a scene like this, when Queen Elizabeth was on her way to St. Paul's to return thanks for the defeat of the Armada.

When Cromwell and the Parliament dined in the City in state, on June 7, 1649, tne same ceremony was observed; the Mayor, says Whitelocke, delivering up the sword to the Speaker, "as he used to do to the King." The last observance of this ceremony was on February 27, 1872, when Queen Victoria went to St. Paul's to the Thanksgiving Service for the recovery of the Prince of Wales from typhoid fever.

At many periods the decorations of the Gate were of a very ghastly character. The mangled remains of Sir Thomas Armstrong, hanged at Tyburn June 20, 1684, the head and quarters of Sir William Parkins, and the quarters of John Freind were among the early ornaments of the present Bar. Armstrong was concerned in the Rye House Plot; Parkins and Freind in the assassination Plot against William III. The heads of the victims of the fatal "45" were the last placed upon the Bar. "I have been this morning at the Tower," Walpole writes to Montague, August 16, 1746, "and passed under the new heads at Temple Bar, where people make a trade of letting spying-glasses at a halfpenny a look." "I remember," said Johnson,1 "once being with Goldsmith in Westminster Abbey. While we surveyed the Poets' Corner, I said to him:—

Forsitan et nostrum nomen miscebitur istis.

When we got to the Temple Bar he stopped me, pointed to the heads upon it, and slily whispered me:—

Forsitan et nostrum nomen miscebitur istis."

The last heads which remained on the Bar were those of Townley and Fletcher.2 "Yesterday," says a news-writer of April 1, 1772, "one of the rebels' heads on Temple Bar fell down. There is only one head now remaining." This last head fell shortly after. The interior of the Bar was leased from the City (at a yearly rental of £50) by Messrs. Child, the bankers, as a repository for the ledgers and cash-books of their house. Pynson the printer lived here, and (see Fleet Street) his first work states in the colophon that it was printed "the v day July the year of our lord god 1493 by me Richarde Pynson at the Temple barre of London."

The "Temple Bar Memorial," which marks the site of the old building, was unveiled, September 8, 1880, by H.R.H. the late Prince Leopold (afterwards Duke of Albany). It is 31 feet 6 inches high, 5 feet wide, and 7 feet 8 inches long, and is surmounted by a bronze dragon (commonly styled "the griffin") by C.B. Birch, A.R.A. The architect was Sir Horace Jones, and the marble statues of the Queen and the Prince of Wales are the work of Mr. (now Sir E.) Boehm. The portrait medallions on the east and west sides are of the Prince of Wales and Sir Francis Wyatt Truscott, Lord Mayor. The last of the four reliefs, that on the south side, representing the procession of the Queen to the Guildhall Banquet on November 9, 1837, was inserted in place in December 1882, thus completing the memorial, the total cost of which was £10,690: 6: 5.

1 Boswell, p. 258.
2 Ann. Reg., fol. 1766, p. 52.

Publications associated with this place

  • Die Lunæ, 18 Septemb. 1643. Whereas Thomas Andrewes, John Fowke, Richard Chambers, William Barkley, Aldermen of the City of London; Maurice Thompson, Francis Allen, James Russell, and Stephen Estwick, merchants, are ordained and constituted to be collectors and commissioners, enabled to receive all such summes of money as should be paid for customes,... London: printed for Laurence Blaikelock, at Temple-bar, 1644. ESTC No. R27954. Grub Street ID 111088.
  • Die Lune 14. April. 1645. Whereas there are many and great abuses committed dayly by the importing into, and exporting out of this kingdom divers prohibited goods and merchandize, contrary to the lawes; ... [London: printed for Laurence Blaiklock, dwelling within Temple-bar, 1645]. ESTC No. R226414. Grub Street ID 99442.
  • Prince Charles proclaimed King, and landed in Jersey with the Duke of York, and a list of the Lords, Knights and gentlemen of quallity arrived there with His Hignes, and His design touching the west of England. Also His entertainment by the Lord Jermane who is made governour of the Island, with the Lord Hopton and 300. other persons of note, that were convoyed by a statesmen of warre with the Duke of Yorks declaration touching his brother the declared King. And his Highnesses message to the King of France, and a present of one hundred thousand crownes sent him by the Cardinall. London: printed for J.J. and are to be sold at Temple-Barre, 1649. ESTC No. R206264. Grub Street ID 82807.
  • Pasquin pasquinaded: or a comment on the late dialogues of Pasquin and Marforio on the peace. In a conversation between two celebrated walking female statues here at London; and inscribed to Lady T-d. London: printed for J. Bromage, at Temple-Bar, [1749]. ESTC No. N46505. Grub Street ID 31342.
  • Observations on a pamphlet lately published, Entitled, Remarks on the different Constructions of Bridges, and Improvements to secure their Foundations, &c. By Charles Marquand. In which The Puerility of that Performance is Considered. London: printed for the author, and sold by W. Owen, at Temple-Bar, M.DCC.XLIX. [1749]. ESTC No. T41735. Grub Street ID 270557.
  • A short critical poem on poets and poetry. With that call'd Plain truth on poetry, gallantry, and politicks. London: printed for W. Owen, at Temple-Bar, [1750]. ESTC No. N22588. Grub Street ID 11938.
  • Wisdom: a poem. London: printed for W. Owen, at Temple-Bar, 1751. ESTC No. N25999. Grub Street ID 15362.
  • Colonel Fitzroy's letter considered, in a letter to the Right Honourable the Earl of ******. To which is annex'd, By Way of Postscript, a reply to the appendix of The farther animadversions on the conduct of a late noble commander. The second edition.. London: printed for W. Owen, at Temple-Bar, [1760]. ESTC No. T30919. Grub Street ID 261749.
  • An earnest address to the people of Great-Britain and Ireland: occasioned by the dismission of William Pitt, Esq. from the office of Secretary of State. London: printed for W. Owen, at Temple-Bar, MDCCLXI. [1761]. ESTC No. N6604. Grub Street ID 47828.
  • Antigallicus, Titus. An ode for the thanksgiving-day. To the tune of Derry down. By Titus Antigallicus, Esq;. London: printed for W. Webb Junior, at Temple-Bar, MDCCXLIX. [1749]. ESTC No. N10497. Grub Street ID 508.
  • Bacon, Francis. A confession of faith. Written by the Right Honourable Francis Bacon, Lord Verulam. Republished with a preface on the subject of authority in religious matters, and Adapted to the Exigency of the Present Times. London: printed for W. Owen, at Temple-Bar, 1757. ESTC No. T89382. Grub Street ID 309284.
  • Bollan, William. An epistle from Timoleon to all the honest free-holders, and other electors of members of Parliament. Wherein the great mischief and danger of corruption are set forth and proved from its Operations in Greece and Rome. London: printed; and sold by W. Owen, at Temple-Bar, MDCCLXVIII. [1768]. ESTC No. N6545. Grub Street ID 47327.
  • Brett, Arthur. A demonstration how the Latine tongue may be learn't with far greater ease and speed then commonly it is. London: printed for J.S. at the Mitre within Temple-bar, 1669. ESTC No. R212201. Grub Street ID 87838.
  • D., G.. The history of Lavinia Rawlins. In two volumes. . London: printed for the editor; and sold by W. Owen, at Temple-Bar, MDCCLVI. [1756]. ESTC No. N3780. Grub Street ID 25717.
  • Farquhar, George. The adventures of Covent-Garden, in imitation of Scarron's city romance. London: printed by H. Hills, for R. Standfast, next door to the Three Tunn Tavern just within Temple Barr, 1699. ESTC No. R204315. Grub Street ID 81295.
  • Gentleman of Kent.. An essay on deism; or, a panegyrick upon the wits of the town. Inscrib'd to the Right Honourable Robert Lord Romney. By a gentleman of Kent. London: printed for W. Owen, at Temple-Bar, [1753]. ESTC No. N1841. Grub Street ID 7885.
  • Goadby, Robert. An apology for the life of Mr. Bampfylde-Moore Carew, commonly call'd the King of the beggars; . The third edition.. London: printed for R. Goadby [Sherborne], and W. Owen, at Temple-Bar, [1750?]. ESTC No. N16313. Grub Street ID 5989.
  • Goadby, Robert. An apology for the life of Mr. Bampfylde-Moore Carew, commonly call'd the King of the beggars; Being an impartial Account of his Life, from his leaving Tiverton School, at the Age of Fifteen, and entering into a Society of Gypsies, to the present Time; wherein the Motives of his Conduct will be explain'd, and the great Number of Characters and Shapes he has appeared in through Great Britain, Ireland, and several other Places of Europe be related; with his Travels twice through great Part of America. A particular Account of the Original, Government Language, Laws and Customs of the Gypsies; their Method of electing their King, &c. And a Parallel drawn after the Manner of Plutarch, between Mr. Bampfylde - Moore Carew and Mr. Thomas Jones. The sixth edition, with additions.. London: printed for R. Goadby [Sherborne], and W. Owen [London], Bookseller, at Temple Bar, [1760?]. ESTC No. T110645. Grub Street ID 163153.
  • Goadby, Robert. An apology for the life of Mr. Bampfylde-Moore Carew, commonly call'd the King of the beggars; being an impartial account of his life, from his leaving Tiverton School, at the Age of Fifteen, and entering into a Society of Gypsies, to the present Time; wherein the Motives of his Conduct will be explain'd, and the great Number of Characters and Shapes he has appeared in through Great Britain, Ireland, and several other Places of Europe be related; with his Travels twice through great Part of America. A particular Account of the Original, Government, Language, Laws and Customs of the Gypsies; their Method of electing their King, &c. And a Parallel drawn after the Manner of Plutarch, between Mr. Bampfylde - Moore Carew and Mr. Thomas Jones. The fifth edition.. London: printed for R. Goadby [Sherborne], and W. Owen, Bookseller, at Temple-Bar, [1760?]. ESTC No. T144674. Grub Street ID 191505.
  • Goadby, Robert. An apology for the life of Mr. Bampfylde-Moore Carew, commonly call'd the king of the beggars. Being An impartial Account of his Life, from his leaving Tiverton School, at the Age of Fifteen, and entering into a Society of Gipsies, to the present Time; wherein the Motives of his Conduct will be explain'd, and the great Number of Characters and Shapes he has appeared in thro' Great Britain, Ireland, and several other Places of Europe be related; with his Travels twice thro' great Part of America. A particular Account of the Origin, Government, Language, Laws, and Customs of the Gipsies; their Method of electing their King, &c. And a Parallel drawn after the Manner of Plutarch, between Mr. Bampfylde-Moore Carew and Mr. Thomas Jones. The seventh edition.. London: printed for R. Goadby [Sherborne], and W. Owen Bookseller, at Temple-Bar, MDCCLXIII. [1763]. ESTC No. T150578. Grub Street ID 196342.
  • Leach, William. Proposalls for an Act for prevention of the great trouble and charge which the honest people of this nation, have been put to; by wrongfull arrests and imprisonments, and for preserving them from such arrests (being upon feigned great actions) at the sute of divers to whom they have owed nothing. And also for an other Act for the taking away the great trouble and charge, which the people of this nation have been put to; by sheriffs, bayliffs, serjeants, &c. to procure arrests and appearances of their debtors, &c. in order to the more speedy satisfying of creditors; for the saving to the people of this nation, between 4 and 500000. pounds yearly, part of the 1500000. pounds, formerly proposed to be so saved yearly, mentioned in the proposalls for creditors and prisoners. With a short explanation in particular, how those 300000. pounds, and more, by these proposalls for creditors and prisoners, will be saved. Offered to the same consideration, as those for creditors and prisoners are. By. London: printed by F. Leach, and are to be sold by Lawrence Blaicklock within Temple-Bar, [1650]. ESTC No. R205839. Grub Street ID 82462.
  • Missy, César de. A dialogue between two free electors, Dick and Tim, On a certain Day of the Poll For L---d T-Th-M and Sir G-E V-D--P--T, When a great Majority of Votes seeming to carry it in Favour of the former, several Public Houses were discharged, and left without fresh Orders, as to their being kept open, for the Reception of his L--dsh-p's Friends. London: printed for W. Owen, at Temple Bar, 1749. ESTC No. T4181. Grub Street ID 270622.
  • Pellow, Thomas. The history of the long captivity and adventures of Thomas Pellow, in South-Barbary. Giving an Account of his being taken by two Sallce Rovers, and carry'd a Slave to Mequinez, at Eleven Years of Age: His various Adventures is that Country for the Space of Twenty-Three Years: Escape, and Return Home. In which is introduced, A porticular Account of the Manners and Customs of the Moors; the astonishing Tyranny and Cruelty of their Emperors, and a Relation of all those great Revolutions and Bloody Wars which happen'd in the Kingdoms of Fez and Morocco, between the Years 1720 and 1736. Together with a description of the cities, Towns. and Publick Buildings in those Kingdoms; miseries of the Christian slaves; and many other curious particulars. Written by himself. [Bath?]: Printed for R. Goadby; and sold by W. Owen, Bookseller, at Temple-Bar, London, [1751]. ESTC No. T144536. Grub Street ID 191401.
  • Reformed Rake.. A congratulatory epistle from a reformed rake, to John F------g, Esq; upon the new scheme of reclaiming prostitutes. London: printed for G. Burnet, at Temple-Bar, [1758?]. ESTC No. T144422. Grub Street ID 191292.
  • Rogers, John. A sermon preached before the Corporation for the Relief of the Poor Widows and Children of Clergy-Men, at their anniversary meeting in the cathedral church of St. Paul, December 4, 1718. By John Rogers, B. D. Rector of Wrington in Somersetshire, late Fellow of C. C. C. Oxon. The third edition.. London: printed for T. Woodward, within Temple-Bar, 1719. ESTC No. T86503. Grub Street ID 306643.
  • Rolt, Richard. Cambria. A poem, in three books: illustrated with historical, critical & explanatory notes. Humbly inscribed to his Royal Highness Prince George. By Richard Rolt. The second edition.. London: printed for W. Owen, at Temple-Bar, 1749. ESTC No. N1116. Grub Street ID 1152.
  • Le Sage, Alain René. The original story; from which the new comedy of Gil Blas is taken. London]: Printed for W. Owen, at Temple-Bar, [1751?. ESTC No. T107639. Grub Street ID 160652.
  • Swift, Jonathan. Good Queen Anne vindicated, and the ingratitude, insolence, &c. of her Whig ministry and the allies detected and exposed, in the beginning and conducting of the war. The Englishman's memorial: Containing A short History of the Land Wars we have been engaged in, with unanswerable Arguments, proving 'tis not the Interest of England to be concerned, as a Principal, in a Land War, upon any Pretence Whatsoever;-Mind the Sea. With Remarks on the new Ways of raising Money, &c. (unknown to our Ancestors, and which our Posterity will curse us for;) also Many important Matters relative to the British Affairs, worthy of the Attention of the Publick at this Juncture. By the author of The dissertation on parties. The second edition.. London: printed for and sold by W. Owen, at Temple-Bar, [1748]. ESTC No. N7374. Grub Street ID 52311.
  • Voltaire. Babouc; or, the world as it goes. By Monsieur de Voltaire. To which are added, letters concerning his disgrace at the Prussian Court: With his Letter to his Niece on that Occasion. Also, The force of friendship, or, innocence distress'd. A novel. London: printed for, and sold by W. Owen, at Temple-Bar, MDCCLIV. [1754]. ESTC No. T98329. Grub Street ID 317625.
  • W. B, formerly of St. John's College Camb. The juror. A farce. By W. B. formerly of St. John's College Camb. The second edition.. London: printed for John Norcock next the Devil Tavern within Temple bar, [1718]. ESTC No. T29296. Grub Street ID 260704.
  • W. B, formerly of St. John's College Camb. The juror. A farce. By W. B. formerly of St. John's College Camb. The fifth edition.. London: printed for John Norcock next the Devil-Tavern within Temple-Bar, [1718]. ESTC No. T29298. Grub Street ID 260706.
  • Wharton, Thomas Wharton. The E. of Wh---on's speech to the House of L----ds. London]: Printed for J. Woodward, at Temple Bar, 1711. ESTC No. T13283. Grub Street ID 181728.
  • X., Z.. Remarks on a pamphlet, intituled, A letter from a physician in London to his friend in the country. Containing a vindication of our universities, particularly Oxford, from the injurious Assertions in the said Pamphlet. In a letter from a physician in the country to his friend in London. London: printed for W. Owen, at Temple Bar, MDCCLIII. [1753]. ESTC No. T46750. Grub Street ID 274768.