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Hare Court, Inner Temple

Hare Court
Numbers 2 and 3 Hare Court are to the left
Hare Court, Inner Temple is located in Greater London
Hare Court, Inner Temple
Location within Greater London
51°30′47″N 0°06′39″W / 51.513°N 0.1108°W / 51.513; -0.1108
Typecourtyard
LocationInner Temple, Temple, City of London
History
Builtlate 17th century
Site notes
Architectural style
Georgian
OwnerPrivately owned
Listed Building – Grade I
Official name
1, Hare Court
Designated4 January 1950
Reference no.1359200
Listed Building – Grade II
Official name
2 and 3, Hare Court
Designated10 November 1977
Reference no.1193787

Hare Court is a complex of buildings in Inner Temple, in the Temple district in the City of London. It forms a courtyard with Pump Court and stands directly west of Temple Church. Hare Court was developed in the late 17th century, and Number 1 dates from thus time. Numbers 2 and 3 are late 19th century additions to the design of Sir Thomas Graham Jackson. In the 21st century Hare Court houses mainly barristers' chambers. The buildings are constructed of London red brick. Number 1 is a Grade I listed building, while Numbers 2 and 3 are listed at Grade II.

History and description

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The area of Temple lies on the western edge of the City of London, on its border with the City of Westminster. In the mid-12th century, the military order of the Knights Templar established themselves in the area, constructing their Temple Church at its centre.[1] Following the suppression of the Templars in 1312, control of the district passed to the Order of St John which began to lease buildings in the area to legal clerks, then exclusively clerics, as offices and residences. This saw the establishment of the Middle and Inner Temples,[1] as two of the four Inns of Court to which all barristers practicing in England and Wales must belong.[2]

The Temple area saw considerable loss during the Great Fire of London, and subsequent fires in the next decades. This saw the initiation of an ambitious re-building scheme, begun with New Court which was undertaken by the developer, Nicholas Barbon in around 1675.[3] The governors of the Inner Temple decreed that future developments in the area be modelled on Barbon's "London red brick" style, which accounts for the general uniformity of the designs.[4] Number 1 Hare Court dates from the late 17th century,[5] while 2 and 3 are of the late 19th century, to a design by Sir Thomas Graham Jackson.[6]

In the 21st century, Hare Court mainly houses barristers' chambers including 2 Hare Court.[a][8]

The buildings comprising Hare Court form two sides of a courtyard, in conjunction with the buildings of Pump Court.[9] They are constructed of London red brick and are of four storeys with basements. Numbers 2 and 3 also have gabled attics. Pevsner calls the style of the latter buildings Norman Shaw, and notes that they are the only buildings in this style within the Temple complex.[9] All have stone dressings.[9] Number 1 holds a Grade I historic listing designation, while Numbers 2 and 3 are listed at Grade II.[5][6]

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Notes

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  1. ↑ In the centre of the court is located a sculpture, entitled Hands of Justice. Commissioned by the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, the work was undertaken by Tanya Russell.[7]

References

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  1. 1 2 Bradley & Pevsner 2002, pp. 344–345.
  2. ↑ "Joing an Inn". Bar Standards Board. Retrieved 27 September 2026.
  3. ↑ Wright, Stephen (September 2004). "Nicholas Barbon (Barebone)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/1335. Retrieved 27 September 2026. (Subscription, Wikipedia Library access or UK public library membership required.)
  4. ↑ Bradley & Pevsner 2002, p. 345.
  5. 1 2 Historic England. "1, Hare Court (Grade I) (1359200)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
  6. 1 2 Historic England. "2 and 3, Hare Court (Grade II) (1193787)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
  7. ↑ "Our Sculptors: Tanya Russell". Royal Society of Sculptors. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
  8. ↑ "2 Hare Court". Chambers Law. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
  9. 1 2 3 Bradley & Pevsner 2002, p. 347.

Sources

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See also

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  • Wikimedia Commons logo Media related to Hare Court, Temple, London at Wikimedia Commons