Staple Inn is a part-Tudor building on the south side ofHigh Holborn street in theCity of London,London,England. Located nearChancery Lane tube station, it is used as the London venue for meetings of theInstitute and Faculty of Actuaries, and is the last survivingInn of Chancery. It was designated a Grade Ilisted building in 1974.[1]
It was originally attached toGray's Inn, which is one of the fourInns of Court. The Inns of Chancery fell into decay in the 19th century. All of them were dissolved, and most were demolished. Staple Inn is the only one which survives largely intact. It was anextra-parochial area until 1858 and then a civil parish. It became part of theMetropolitan Borough of Holborn in 1900 and was abolished in 1930.[2]
On 1 April 1994, boundary changes meant that the Inn was transferred from theLondon Borough of Camden to the City of London (and theCity ward ofFarringdon Without).
It was the model for the fictitiousInn of Court "Bacon's Inn" inArthur Moore's 1904 novelArchers of the Long Bow. The ancient switch-tailed double pump referred to was replaced in 1937 by a mock single pump, to mark the site.[3]
Staple Inn dates from 1585. The building was oncethe wool staple, where wool was weighed and taxed. It survived theGreat Fire of London, was extensively damaged by aNazi GermanLuftwaffeaerial bomb in 1944 but was subsequently restored. It has a distinctivetimber-framed façade,cruck roof and an internal courtyard.
The historic interiors include agreat hall, used by theInstitute and Faculty of Actuaries. The ground-floor street frontage is let to shops and restaurants, required to use plainersignage than they do on less sensitive buildings. For a time, the building appeared on the packaging ofOld Holborn tobacco.
History of the formation of theLondon Borough of Camden | ||
|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan boroughs |  | |
| District boards | ||
| Parishes | ||
51°31′04.68″N0°06′40.28″W / 51.5179667°N 0.1111889°W /51.5179667; -0.1111889