Sculpture on Knights Templar Column - Inner Temple (London)
N 51° 30.781 W 000° 06.613
30U E 700511 N 5710836
Depicted modern bronze sculpture of horse with two Templar riders crowning unusual stone column, erected to commemorate a turbulent history of the London's Temple and also year 2000 AD, decorates Church Court of Inner Temple.
Waymark Code: WMQBPT
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 01/31/2016
Views: 7
Depicted modern bronze sculpture of horse with two Templar riders crowning unusual stone column, erected to commemorate a turbulent history of the London's Temple and also year 2000 AD, decorates Church Court of Inner Temple.
The 10 m high column in Church Court was erected and dedicated in the year 2000 AD in the centre of what was formerly the cloister courtyard of the monastery of the Knights Templar. The Templar Order was founded in 1119 to protect pilgrims in the Holy Land. The Gothic column, with unusual quatrefoil cross-section, mimics Purbeck marble columns in the adjacent Temple church. The bronze sculpture of the horse with two riders is derived from the seal of Templar knights who were originally too poor to have a horse each. The same image can be seen depicted in the east window of the Temple church.
The column also marks the point at which the great fire of 1666 was extinguished, the church was saved and its historic Gothic-style structure fortunately survived. The column thus contrasts with Sir Christopher Wren's monument in the City, which stands where the fire started and marks the arrival of the new upcoming Baroque and Classicist style.
The overall design was in the hands of Tom Stuart-Smith, Ptolemy Dean designed the column and the riders sculpture is work of Nicola Hicks. The inscription was carved by James Honeywood. The London Plane trees were presented by Christian Bevington, a Bencher of the Inner Temple, in memory of Canon Joseph Robinson, Master of the Temple from 1980 - 1999. The column and sculpture were the gift of Lord Lloyd of Berwick, Treasurer 1999.
On the octagonal tiered column pedestal is (also with letters marking donator and artists) the following Latin inscription:
"NE TEMPLO DEESSET MONUMENTUM TERTII MILLENNII INCIPIENTIS HOC SIGNUM CURAVIT ERIGENDUM HON SOC INT TEMPLI" and "AD MM".
In English: "Last the Temple should be without a memorial of the start of the third millennium the Inner Temple caused this monument to be erected for the greater glory of God." and "2000 AD".
[adapted and excerpted from London Rememeber]