Image credit: Ethan Doyle White / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · 2018-10-12 ↗
Fountain Court: the Courtyard Dickens Turned into Literature
Middle Temple · Temple → Fleet Street → Lincoln’s Inn · Historic courtyard / literary London / Inns of Court
Story
Fountain Court is one of those places where the noise of Fleet Street disappears in an instant. Within Middle Temple, one of the four Inns of Court, you are surrounded by barristers' chambers, passages, and buildings that still function as part of a real legal community. In the centre, the fountain transforms the courtyard into a surprisingly intimate space. A permanent fountain is recorded here from 1681, although the structure visible today is later. The place also acquired a second life through literature thanks to Charles Dickens, who knew the Inns of Court intimately. Fountain Court appears in *Martin Chuzzlewit*, and the world of the Temple permeates other works of his. When the courtyard is quiet, it is easy to understand why: it is a complete setting, isolated from the busy thoroughfare just a few steps away. Do not focus only on the fountain. Look at the mature trees, the facades of the chambers, and the small exits leading to other courts. The feeling of 'secrecy' does not come from being closed off, but from the fact that many visitors to the Strand never discover that, behind a few discreet gates and alleyways, this other legal London exists.
What to look for
Look for the central fountain, the mature trees surrounding it, and the facades of the buildings facing the court, which create a quiet, almost residential atmosphere.
Secret detail
While a fountain is documented here from 1681, the feature you see today is not the untouched seventeenth-century original. Its current appearance results from later interventions.
Where exactly
Enter Middle Temple and find Fountain Court just north of Middle Temple Hall. If one gate is closed, use another authorised public pedestrian access to the Temple.
Orientation
From Middle Temple Hall, head north through the connecting passages.
Why it matters
This court reveals how the Inns of Court have created enclaves of peace and legal tradition in the heart of London, inspiring generations of lawyers and writers, like Dickens, who immortalised it.
Access & opening
Temple gate access varies by time/day and operational security.
Free to walk through when public pedestrian access is available.
We never show live status. Check opening hours before you go.
Accessibility
Historic paving and narrow routes in places; step-free approaches exist but route may vary by gate.