12:30pm, 18th February 2023
Our little fierce one will be Christened at a baptism surrounded by fellow warriors at Temple Church followed by a traditional sunday lunch at The Old Bank Of England.
(You may choose to attend the Choral Service at 11.15am should you wish.)
The Temple Church
Temple
London EC4Y 7BB
UPDATE
We have arranged plenty of FREE parking at Inner Temple car park which you can access by entering through the Tudor Gate from Tudor Street. There are also some free on street parking options on Sundays. However, be aware that you must pay congestion charge which is at least £15.
We strongly advise taking public transport if possible. You can use Google Maps to set your directions to Temple Church and The Old Bank Of England. BUT PLEASE CHECK YOUR ROUTE TO THE CEREMONY ON THE MORNING OF THE EVENT VIA GOOGLE MAPS OR TFL.
Due to Thameslink’s planned engineering works, you may find it easier to walk from Holborn, Chancery Lane, Temple Station or Blackfriars Station, depending on your choice of transport. (Blackfriars is one of Brian’s favourite views across London.)
Temple Church was established by the warrior Knights Templars – the protectors of pilgrims – to mirror the Holy Sepulchre church which surrounds what’s thought to be the tomb of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem. Temple sits at a geographical locus of law and media. Magna Carta – which established key principles of human rights and liberal democracy – was negotiated and drafted in the Temple. It sits down an alley way off Fleet Street – the traditional centre of the UK’s media sector.
Temple Church features in the book and film of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code. Although the opening page of The Da Vinci Code states “All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents, and secret rituals in this novel are accurate” it is fiction. Come to Temple Church to discover the facts for yourself.
When A Knight Won His Spurs
When a knight won his spurs, in the stories of old,
He was gentle and brave, he was gallant and bold
With a shield on his arm and a lance in his hand,
For God and for valour he rode through the land.
No charger have I, and no sword by my side,
Yet still to adventure and battle I ride,
Though back into storyland giants have fled,
And the knights are no more and the dragons are dead.
Let faith be my shield and let joy be my steed
‘Gainst the dragons of anger, the ogres of greed;
And let me set free with the sword of my youth,
From the castle of darkness, the power of the truth.