Legal London Royal Courts of Justice & Inns of Court Walking Tour
At a glance
Legal London Royal Courts of Justice & Inns of Court Walking Tour is a 3h small-group experience in London, United Kingdom, operated by Charterlegal.co.uk. Travellers rate it 4.8 out of 5 across 49 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor. Prices start from $33.65 per person, and free cancellation is available. Included: Expert, English-speaking tour guide.
Highlights
- Small group of up to 12 people for a more personal experience
- Free cancellation for flexible planning
- 7 stops in one well-planned itinerary
Quick facts
- Duration
- 3h
- Group
- Small group, up to 12 travellers
- Languages
- English
- Pickup
- Meet at the start point
- Confirmation
- Instant confirmation
- Ticket
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation (see policy)
Overview
You will hear how this small area of London almost by accident fostered the development of the English Common Law which spread around the world to the United States, India, Pakistan, Africa, Australia, and many more countries and was the originator of the world's system of common law.
People who changed the world worked, lived, entertained, and were educated in the Inns of Court, including:
*Eight of the signatories to the American Declaration of Independence
*Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan who owned over 200 bespoke (made-to-measure) suits and, as a barrister in London, was said to never wear the same silk tie twice.
* Mahatma Gandhi who had to promise his mother that he would abstain from meat, alcohol, and women before he could enrol in Inner Temple.
* Sir William Blackstone who influenced commercial and criminal law in the United States and British Commonwealth and said: “It is better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer.”
What's included
What's included
- Expert, English-speaking tour guide
Not included
- Coffee and/or Tea
Itinerary
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Stop 1 · 10m
Built in 1573 and said to be "the most perfect" example of an Elizabethan building remaining in Central London. So much of English history revolves around this building.
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Stop 2 · 10m
We will stop outside Inner Temple Hall. Shakespeare's Henry VI Part 1 suggests that the War of the Roses originated with the picking of red and white roses in Temple Gardens. The garden is usually open to the public during the week in the afternoon.
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Stop 3 · 10m
Built in 1162 by the Knights Templar, in fiction it featured in Dan Brown's book and film, the Da Vinci Code, and in fact in the Magna Carta negotiations, when King John used the Temple as one of his two bases in London. Temple Church will usually be open after the morning tour - admission is £5.00.
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Stop 4 · 15m
Opened in 1882 by Queen Victoria, the building was originally designed to house 19 courts and now there are around a hundred. We will go inside the building.
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Stop 5 · 10m
This Inn produced eleven prime ministers. The Old Hall was built around 1490 and was sometimes used as a Court of Chancery.
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Stop 6 · 10m
Is a former Inn of Chancery. The front was erected in 1586 and is the finest example of a Tudor timber framed building in Central London.
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Stop 7 · 10m
The hall was built in 1560 and reconstructed after bomb damage with a substantial contribution from the American Bar Association. In the square there is a statue to the Inn's most prominent former member. Hear his story and decide whether there should have been a statue to him.
Meeting point
I will be standing next to the entrance/exit of Temple Underground Station in front of the closed AMISON kiosk.
Good to know
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Not Stroller Accessible
- Children and Youth needs to be accompanied by at least one adult or one senior
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the Legal London Royal Courts of Justice & Inns of Court Walking Tour take?
The experience lasts about 3h.
How much does it cost?
Prices start from $33.65 per person. The final price depends on the date, time and number of travellers, and is confirmed on Viator before you pay.
What's included?
Expert, English-speaking tour guide.
Where does it start?
I will be standing next to the entrance/exit of Temple Underground Station in front of the closed AMISON kiosk.
Can I cancel?
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Which languages is it offered in?
It is guided in English.
Is it worth it?
Travellers rate it 4.8 out of 5 across 49 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor, which places it among the top-rated experiences in London.
