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.
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.
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.
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.
This Inn produced eleven prime ministers. The Old Hall was built around 1490 and was sometimes used as a Court of Chancery.
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.
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.
Absolutely first rate. Keith is completely familiar with every aspect of the Courts, the buildings and their histories. The tour sounds long on paper but it actually moves right along. He responds to questions fully and he seems to really enjoy the subject. Highly recommend for people who want to understand this amazing venue.
Wonderful informative tour led by Keith. Even the rain didn’t dampen our enjoyment. We both found Keith GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS of being an excellent guide and awakening in us a thirst to learn more. Keep up your good work!
Interesting walking tour by Keith, focusing on the legal realm. I’m not personally a lawyer, but the combination of the places Keith brought us to as well as his commentary was interesting, including briefly sitting in on a court hearing.
We were able to book lunch at Middle Temple (on Fridays only and book far in advance), followed by the tour. The tour was a perfect complement to lunch by a member of Inner Temple. We came away with a real flavor and understanding of each of the Inns, the Royal Courts of Justice. He is so knowledgeable and has so many great anecdotes from his days as a barrister. And the tour of the Justice Robes exhibit inside the Royal Courts was so interesting. As an American lawyer, I absolutely loved it, but most people on the tour were not attorneys and they seemed to love it just as much.
Great tour! Incredibly informative. Went above and beyond with the knowledge he shared with us. Incredibly friendly and easy to talk to
Interesting walking tour through legal London. I loved learning about the history of the Inns of Court and the British legal system and profession from our guide who was a retired barrister. Getting to watch to a case at the Royal Courts of Justice was a very cool experience.
We had a great tour, including lunch in Middle Temple Hall, the architecture and history is fabulous. Keith is extremely knowledgeable and gets the information across in an easy understandable manner. Would highly recommend the tour.
Learnt a lot about the legal system
Very informative and entertaining tour. Thorough. (Keith?) was great (sorry, I am tired and am not sure of his name just now). A retired barrister
Great tour. Our guide (Keith) was a retired solicitor and very knowledgeable. I highly recommend. Of all the tours, this was one of the best.
Fascinating insight into the legal system
Tour and guide were fabulous. Keith was very informative, helpful and considerate. He's a great person.
The leader was amazing; he knew his subject and made the walk so very interesting.
Keith was excellent, explaining, adding interesting historical context and showing us all the Inns of Court and the Royal Court of Justice (inside). The tour was just the right pace and the folders handed out and explained en route also helped.
Worthwhile - I would recommend for both lawyers and non-lawyers. Your guide is brilliant!
Keith, our guide, was very knowledgeable as he's a retired lawyer so you get loads of extra inside information from him on top, not just about the history of the buildings but how the legal system actually works. It was a well paced 3 hour tour and even though I lived in London for over 20 years, we went to a part of London I didn't even know existed. So highly recommended it.
Very informative chance to learn about the British legal system and culture of the courts, as well as the history and famous people associated with the system.
This was the very best experience. Our guide was very engaging and our whole 3 + hours was packed with the history of the area as well as very interesting information on the legal system in the UK and abroad. His very personal experiences of training and working as a barrister added extra dimensions to the tour. An absolute must for anybody!
Our guide was highly knowledgeable, informative and delightful company. We had a wonderful afternoon despite the oppressive heat!
Our guide, Keith, was punctual, accessible and totally professional. Prior to embarking on this guided walk, I am ashamed to say I knew little about important aspects of the English legal system. This tour was an excellent and entertaining introduction to the development of that system. I particularly valued the opportunity to sit in on a case in the Royal Courts of Justice. Very worthwhile!
Very thorough. Keith has a solid understanding of the law’s history and its evolution and the institutions that compose it. And he conveyed it well.
The tour leader was extremely well informed. He was pleasant and shared interesting facts and "behind the scenes" information about the tour topic. He clearly cared about our group and readily answered all of our questions. the three hours flew by; I would highly recommend the tour.
Great experience. Our guide, Keith, was so knowledgeable and friendly. We had a great time, thank you.
Absolutely fascinating tour of a part of London I didn’t know. Beautiful architecture, peaceful squares and some nice eateries and pubs. It was interesting learning the history behind the Inns of Court and getting into the High Court itself. I will definitely revisit.
I went with two friends on this tour, the walking was easy but we covered a lot of ground in terms of seeing things I never knew existed. The guide (who was formerly in the legal profession) was knowledgeable and came up with some interesting anecdotes, I liked the fact he highlighted the eateries in the Inns of Court open to the public. I felt in parts we were transported back in time and could not believe some of the gardens etc. which provided an escape from the hustle and bustle of London. In summary, plenty of detail and intrigue as well as an escape from a busy city - this tour was time very well spent.
Very interesting to see the law court building, magnificent. Also the buildings where the barristers practice from. Our guide was excellent and we enjoyed the many insights in the legal system.
Our tour guide had lots of information for us on all the law related buildings in the area. Lots of history and it was interesting on how the legal system has changed over the years and how it is different from that of the US.
The Inns of court are a haven of peace within the buzz of London and most people pass by without knowing that they’re there. Keith was a very knowledgeable guide. As a previous practising barrister he knew the legal history, the traditional customs and the present practice of Inns of Court. A highlight was a visit into the Royal Courts of Justice , sitting in on an actual case. Unfortunately we had to leave a few minutes early, the tour was longer than we expected. We only had 3 in our group so we were able to ask all the questions we wanted. An interesting and informative walk.
Learned a lot about the history of the law of London. Even got to go inside the court of appeals which was a beautiful building. Guide was great a retired lawyer and had great chats with him about his experience with the law
This is an absolutely excellent tour visiting a hidden area of London. The guide was extremely knowledgeable and happy to answer lots of questions. The visit to a court in session was a highlight, although all of it was incredibly interesting. I would definitely recommend this.
Our guide was excellent with plenty of knowledge and experience. Keith gave us plenty of time at the range of locations, with a good sense of humour and he was always willing to answer questions. Thank you Keith. Margaret and John Bushell. and daughter Jane, a solicitor, Sharow, Ripon, North Yorkshire HG45BN
Great tour. Very knowledgeable and friendly guide who had extensive insight into the history of the area and law.
I hope that I have identified the tour that my wife and daughter enjoyed yesterday at 2 pm, with a gentlemen guide, ex barrister, who really was excellent. He provided so much interesting information about the Inns, Tye Royal Courts of Justice and the fascinating history of the City of London. Please pass on our thanks. John and Margaret Bushell jbushell@toucansurf.com
This was wonderful, so informative and a special experience to actually walk through the courts. Our guide (on Jan. 26) was very knowledgable and a real gentleman. He gave us much insight both into the history of the different inns and present functioning of the courts, and also the legal education to be a barrister or solicitor, which he himself went through. Five stars to him and this unique interesting experience!
The Tour Guide became mad or upset when we asked him a few questions and cancelled the tour 60 minutes into the walk for all 5 of the group
A standout experience and easily one of the highlights of my London trip. The tour moved at a relaxed pace in a small group, which made it feel intimate and thoughtful. Our guide, Keith, was fantastic—brimming with stories, trivia, and deep knowledge. He brought the district to life while explaining its role in shaping English Common Law, the foundation of so much global law. As a U.S. law student, I was completely absorbed. The setting itself is stunning, but what really made the experience extra special was getting to observe the Court of Appeal at the Royal Courts of Justice. We watched judges adjudicate a case involving the conversion of a suspension into a prison sentence. It was fascinating, sobering, and a real privilege to witness firsthand. Beautiful place, rich history, and an experience that felt both intellectually rewarding and genuinely special. Probably the highlight of my three-day London trip.
A very interesting insight into the history of the British legal system. The courts of justice were especially interesting.
The guide was exceptional. Above all expectations. He not only took me through the Inns but also into a courtroom to witness a piece of debate. The tour was complete with every detaills.
As a lover of a walking tour, I have quite a lot to compare this tour to and honestly have to say it was one of the best I have ever been on. It opened the door on the closed world of the Inns of Court and Royal Courts of Justice and I say this as a solicitor of 30 years. Our lovely guide was knowledgeable as to both history and current day, setting his tour against the general history of the time, really helping to place why things happened. He took his time to answer questions and nothing was too much trouble. Really a gem and a joy and not one to be missed.
This was 3 hours of a great mix of history, current law practices and architecture. Keith delivered a detailed enjoyable afternoon. There were many highlights but a brief visit into a historic courtroom during a hearing was special as were all of the areas of Temple in London that I didn’t know existed and information about eating options within the previnct
Keith is a well-informed Tour Guide - he will take you on an easy-going tour and show you places you would not see otherwise! Absolutely lovely, recommend strongly!
Interesting insight into the Inner and Middle Temple due to the first hand experience of the guide. Historical facts mixed with literary references to Shakespeare and Dickens and the inside story on France Bacon. Watching justice in action at the Royal Courts of Justice as an observer of the interplay between judge and KC at an appeals hearing. I highly recommend this tour.
IWe really enjoyed the tour. Lots of information on English history and the peculiar customs of lawyers. In particular, we enjoyed watching a court in action.
We had a wonderful tour with Keith on 29 September 2025. He was knowledgeable, entertaining and gave great value for money. He spent 3 hours with us and it flew by. We hope to meet him again.
The Tour was both entertaining and enlightening and entertaining. It provided a fascinating insight into the history of the magnificent legal buildings and the people who worked, lived and partied in them
A friendly and informative guide who introduced us to this little known hidden area of London. It was fascinating exploring the gardens and medieval halls and buildings. Hearing the stories of past inhabitants brought the area to life.
Keith, our guide did a wonderful job explaining all things legal about the Inns. Being a lawyer, myself, and coming from the United States, it was fascinating and interesting to learn how the practice of law got started around the 600’s. Keith added humor and expert knowledge about famous legal characters.from the past. He took us to the various ends and explained what it was through the centuries. He took us to the Royal Court and the knights Templar. This is a walking tour, so must be prepared to walk some distances, although there is stopping to relax while the Guide provides information. Thank you, Keith, you did a great job!
Our tour guide was previously a practising Barrister himself. This was a lovely experience and tour guide was very knowledgeable. My only criticism would be that the information given by our guide could have flowed better rather than outbursts of information given throughout the tour which sometimes was hard to digest. But I understand our tour guide had only been doing this tour for 4 months so very much in his infantsy stage. But nevertheless we thoroughly enjoyed our experience.
This was a very interesting and informative tour, well researched, well planned and well delivered. I would certainly recommend this tour.
Keith is an amazing, knowledgeable tour guide. Having studied at one of the temples he is just the person you want to guide you and give you an in depth look into what it was like to become a barrister or solicitor. My teenage son enjoyed hearing about how times have changed and all the recognizable names that have passed through the temples. Highly recommend this tour if you are interested in the legal profession or just want a tour of an area most tourists don't visit.
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