264 LONDON PARKS & GARDENS 



is one of those nooks, the turning into which out of the 

 clashing streets imparts to the relieved pedestrian the 

 sensation of having put cotton in his ears and velvet soles 

 on his boots." Furnival's, Thavies', and all the other 

 Inns famous in olden days, have disappeared, and their 

 quiet little gardens with them. 



The Temple Gardens are larger now than in the 

 earlier days of their history, as then there was nothing 

 to keep the Thames within its channel at high tide. 

 The landing steps from the river were approached by 

 a causeway of arches across the muddy banks. It was 

 not until 1528 that a protecting wall was built, and a 

 pathway ran outside the wall between it and the river. 

 Gardens must have existed on this site from a very 

 early date. When the Templars moved there from 

 Holborn and built the church in 11 85, it was all open 

 country round, with a few great houses and conventual 

 buildings standing in their own orchards and gardens. 

 After the suppression of the Order, it was in the hands 

 of Aimer de Valence, Earl of Pembroke, and in 1324 

 the land was given to the Knights of St. John. As 

 they had their own buildings and church not far off, 

 they granted it " to the Students of the Common Lawes 

 of England : in whose possession the same hath sithence 

 remained." All the consecrated land, and all within the 

 City, was included in the grant to the Knights of St. 

 John : besides this there was some land outside the City, 

 or the Outer Temple, part of which remained in secular 

 hands, and in later times was covered by Essex House, 

 with its famous gardens. The section belonging to the 

 Law Societies, beyond the City, is spoken of in early 

 records as the Outer Garden, and from time to time 

 buildings were erected on it — at first under protest, 



