Explore the Inns and Outs of Surgeons, Lawyers and Rogues

THIS WALK IS ON A FRIDAY

This easy linear walk combines cultural sights and visits:

• Hunterian Museum – art and science of surgery with some fascinating exhibits.
• Inns of Court at Lincoln’s Inn, Gray's Inn and Middle/Inner Temples.
• St Bride’s - known as the journalist’s or wedding cake church.
• 2 Temple Place including its annual art exhibition.

The walk is inspired by my days as a young and eager legal beagle around Holborn, long long ago…

We will visit sights around Holborn, Chancery Lane and Fleet Street, and stop for stories following the footsteps of lawyers, surgeons and journalists.

For the indoor sights, I’ll explain the highlights and we will have time to explore independently. Each sight has free entry. We’ll spend up to 1 hour at the Hunterian Museum and 30 minutes at 2 Temple Place.

Afterwards, please feel free to join for optional drinks at the Old Bank of England.

Don't waste that space!

The maximum group size is 20 for this event. This is due to it being an urban walk and bookings have been made for the indoor attractions.

Please only book if you know you can make it. If your plans change please free up the space for someone else.

Hunterian Museum

This is the headquarters of the Royal College of Surgeons, and the museum was reopened in 2023 following a £4.6m redevelopment. It tells the story of the history of surgery to the present day, and you’ll see England’s largest public display of human anatomy. We will have time to visit properly and are booked in. Please note there are human remains, foetuses and other body parts on display.

The Inns of Court

All barristers must belong to an Inn of Court, and the plan is to walk through all four of them - Lincoln’s Inn, Gray’s Inn, Middle and Inner Temples. This is why the walk is on a weekday. We won’t be able to visit the chapels/great halls, but will pass the impressive barristers’ chambers and gardens, which have the feel of historical Oxbridge colleges.

Chancery Lane and Fleet Street

There will be plenty of zig-zagging through the alleys and courtyards of legal London. We should be able to pass and possibly visit St Ethelburga’s Chapel, the old red brick Victorian Gothic Prudential Building and Dr Johnson’s House, where he compiled the Dictionary of the English Language. Fleet Street is the original home of London printing and the press.

St Bride’s Church

The reconstructed Christopher Wren church is known as the journalists’ church. Its spire may have inspired traditional tiered wedding cakes, and is only exceeded by St Paul’s Cathedral in the City. We may be able to see the memorial to the first known victim of Jack the Ripper and visit the crypt with its Roman pavement.

Two Temple Place 

Built for Lord Astor (who was one of the richest men in the world) as his office around 1895, with neo-Gothic wooden carvings and windows. It opens for an annual exhibition. This year’s is “Weight of Being: Vulnerability, Resilience and Mental Health in Art” which we are booked in for and will visit.

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Dogs - sorry, no dogs are permitted at these sights.

No toilets at start. Toilets at Hunterian Museum before lunch, possible cafes at lunch and near end at 2 Temple Place.

The route can be seen on the OS Map - Click here - which is included for guidance only.

New Members

New members are very welcome. Please message me if you have any questions or concerns before the day.

Whilst we are a very open and welcoming group, if you wish, we may be able to organise an existing member to buddy up with you before or on the day. Do also feel free to arrive early as I’m always around much earlier than the start time. 

All leader's own images - with permission for OutdoorLads to use and reuse