A Trip to the Temples

On May 30, 26 members of the Rotary Club of Billericay together with partners and friends, all assembled outside Stock Village Hall before 08.30.

Why?  The resumption of an old and revered tradition, to celebrate each incumbent President’s year with a special outing for all club members and partners.

A Fast Journey

President Patrick Rothon was determined to resurrect this tradition and organised a day’s outing in London, visiting Middle Temple and its grounds.   

It was a fast journey into London and we soon walked round Temple Gardens into Middle Temple Lane and up the Lane into the main temple grounds. 

As we had arrived early there was time for a leisurely Coffee (or Tea) in the Garden Room café sitting outside on the terrace in the warm sunshine, with a chance to view the beautiful grounds.  Then at 11.00 am a short walk up the Lane for our tour of Middle Temple Hall.  

Middle Temple Hall

We were split into two groups each with our own official guide to make the tours more manageable, and we headed up the stairs to the Gallery where we could look down on the Hall, laid out for lunch, and with its magnificent double-hammer beam roof, which was completed in 1573.

The main buildings have remained virtually unchanged to this day, with many original features surviving the Great Fire of London and both World Wars. It has superb, detailed architecture, impressive oak panelling and beautiful stained glass.  Many of the coats of arms shown in the older stain glass windows recognise members who had donated money to the building of Hall, and others commemorate other prestigious members. 

Generations of royalty have all dined on the 29 ft. oak High Table – reputedly a gift from Elizabeth I herself - and is traditionally said to have been made from the timbers of the Golden Hind, the ship used by Sir Francis Drake to circumnavigate the world.  Above the table is a massive painting of King Charles I and also portraits of Charles II, James II, William III, Elizabeth I, Queen Anne and George I.  On the walls are panels bearing the coats of arms of Readers (senior members) dating back to 1597. 

Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Francis Drake are known to dine in Hall.  It is also said that the first-recorded performance of Twelfth Night took place in Hall in 1602

Function Rooms

The tour also included three other rooms, each of which was impressive and the guide’s explanations very interesting.  

• Parliament Chamber –where the Masters of the Bench administer the affairs of the Inn
• Queens Room – is named after HRH the late Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, who was appointed as Royal Bencher of the Inn in 1944
• Prince’s Room – is named after Prince William when he was called to the bar and made an honorary “bencher” in 2009.  

The tour ended in the Great Hall where we sat down on our reserved tables for a leisurely and delicious three course lunch including coffee.  We even spoiled ourselves with a glass of “Middle Temple Claret”.  

Temple Church

Suitably replete, after lunch we went outside for a group photograph to record our visit for posterity and then made our way across the lane to the beautiful Temple Church, dating from the twelfth century and consecrated in 1185.  It was designed as a replica of the circular Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem 

We received a separate guide book of the Church and were able to wander around it at our leisure, a magnificent “Round” and a later addition of a rectangular chancel.  Beautiful stain glass windows, plaques explaining the history of the church and the Templars, effigies of ancient knights and an exhibition on the Magna Carta.

We followed this with coffee and tea on the terrace outside the Garden Room before the journey back to Stock.  A very interesting and enjoyable day out in good company.  Thank you Patrick.