Image credit: Matt Brown / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 4.0 · 2025-09-14 ↗
Middle Temple Hall: a Hidden Elizabethan Great Hall
Middle Temple · Temple → Fleet Street → Lincoln’s Inn · Elizabethan architecture / legal history / Shakespearean tradition
Story
In the legal heart of London stands one of the city’s great surviving Elizabethan halls. Middle Temple Hall began construction in the 1560s and was completed between 1570 and 1573. Its magnificent timber roof, the elaborately carved screen, and the exceptionally long High Table create an interior that seems poised for a 16th-century banquet, yet the building continues to serve a vital function within the working Inn of Court. Its most celebrated association is with a recorded performance of Shakespeare’s *Twelfth Night* in 1602. This tradition is central to the Hall’s story. The great oak High Table, nearly nine metres long, is also traditionally linked with a gift from Queen Elizabeth I. The surrounding courts and gardens are worth exploring from the outside. To see the interior, it is important to note that Middle Temple operates guided visits and events, often scheduled around its professional calendar of meals and functions. The architecture itself is the most constant feature available to the visitor, while interior access should always be checked for the specific date of a visit.
What to look for
If you gain access to the interior, look for the impressive timber roof, the carved screen, and the exceptionally long High Table, which define the space.
Secret detail
This is not a museum; the Hall remains an active part of a living Inn of Court, one of the four professional bodies that educate barristers in England.
Where exactly
The marked location is Middle Temple Hall. From Fountain Court, head south through the Inn’s passages to the Hall’s grand façade.
Orientation
The Hall lies south of Fountain Court and north of the riverside gardens.
Why it matters
The Hall is an exceptional testament to Elizabethan architecture and the enduring legal traditions of London. It offers a glimpse into the life and culture of the legal and theatrical elite of the period.
Access & opening
Hall interior availability depends on functions, legal calendar and booked tours.
Exterior free. Guided tour pricing and event access vary; check Middle Temple.
We never show live status. Check opening hours before you go.
Accessibility
Historic building; accessibility varies by tour route. Ask Middle Temple for current arrangements.