Lincoln's Inn : The Great Hall

The Great Hall was built in 1843 to replace the Old Hall which is becoming inadequate for meeting all the demands made upon it.

During the four dining terms of the year, each 23 days long, it is used for dining, and students of the Inn keep their terms. In addition, the hall provides lunches for members throughout the year.

It is here, four times a year, that the formal ceremony of calling students of the Inn to the Bar takes place.

I have kept my terms (by dining 24 times) here before being Called to the Bar. My last dinner was on my Call Day which was also compulsory.

Lincoln's Inn : The Library

The Library is first mentioned in the Inn's records in 1471. It has important collections of rare books and manuscripts, not necessary connected to the law. The most important are the Hale Manuscripts, bequeathed by Sir Matthew Hale, Chief Justice of the King's bench in 1676.

The library is only open to all members of the Inn and all barristers with chambers in the Inn. Barristers who are not members are welcome to use the library but may not borrow. Solicitors may use the Library by appointment only. Litigants in persons and members of the public are not allowed to use the Library.

How did they get in?

(by pretending to be Bar students)

Pugin's Octagonal Marquetry Table

The Library holds about 150,000 volumes, the core of which is a comprehensive range of English legal materials for practitioners and bar students. Chancery practice is particularly catered for here.

An underage Bar student?

A sharp corner book shelf

I have spent my fair share of time here at the Library when I was a student. The Library still looks the same after 22 years.

Lincoln's Inn : The Chapel

This chapel was built in 1623. Unfortunate, it was closed when we were there.

The Chapel

It is of interest to note that this chapel is raised, which is rather unusual and access is by a spiral staircase on the west side of  the building.

The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn

Lincoln's Inn has occupied the same site for more than 600 years. Whether or not it is the oldest of the Inns of Court, Lincoln's Inn has the earliest comprehensive records, the Black Books, dating back to 1422.

The Old Gateway

The Great Hall

One may ask why "Lincoln's?"  The traditional answer is that the Inn is named after Henry de Lacy, third Earl of Lincoln, who died in 1311. 

The War Memorial

Then why "Inn?" In the Middle Ages, the word "inn" was used not only to describe a commercial hostelry but for the town house of a peer, bishop or other magnate. An inn might consist of a group of buildings and would often include an imposing hall, large enough to house the owner, his family, his guests and his retinue. Sometime in the 13th century, law students began to lodge at various inns in central London and some of these inns evolved into centres of legal education.

Cittie of Yorke

Situated on High Holborn with the sign saying "Beer brewed at Yorkshire's oldest brewery". I used to drink here after my dining at Lincoln's Inn in 1989-90. It is good to know that the pub is still operating.

Staple Inn

Staple Inn dates from 1585 and is the last surviving Inn of Chancery. It is the only real example of Elizabethan half-timbering left in central London. 

The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn

We visited Gray's Inn first since we started at the Chancery Lane Station. The buildings within the Inn are grouped principally in two squares and are newer because the Inn was badly damaged during the Second World War.

The buildings are mainly occupied by barristers' chambers

Francis Bacon was a barrister of this Inn

The Old Bailey

The Central Criminal Court is commonly known as the "Old Bailey" (name after the street on which the court is located) is probably the most famous criminal court in the world. 

The Crown Court here still hears criminal trials by jury.

The statue of Lady Justice (with the 3 symbols of justice) stands at the top of the dome. The Sword symbolizing the Court's coercive power, the Scale to weigh competing claims and a Blindfold to indicate impartiality

The Inns of Court

Lincoln's Inn, Inner Temple, Middle Temple and Gray's Inn (to place them in their customary order) are ancient unincorporated bodies of lawyers which for 5 centuries and more have had the power to Call to the Bar those of their members who have duly qualified for  the rank or degree of  Barrister-at-Law

One must be a member of one of these Inns to practise at the English Bar.

It was being urged that students ought to receive a comprehensive legal education and that there should be uniformity of practice of call to the Bar. In 1852 the Council of Legal Education was established. Twenty years later the examination for the Call to the Bar was introduced. The council was first housed in Lincoln's Inn but following the Second World War moved to Gray's Inn and later expanded further into Atkin Building as the Inns of Court School of Law.