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Temple Bar is adjacent to the north west Tower of St Paul’s Cathedral, and forms a pedestrian gateway into the redeveloped Paternoster Square.
Please note: The upper chamber is NOT open to the public.
Posts Tagged ‘Temple Bar’
Visitor Information
Thursday, June 11th, 2009Commemorative Plaque
Thursday, April 7th, 2005
The Team
CWO build a commemorative plaque marking the former site of Temple Bar at Theobalds Park, Cheshunt. Stones from the former lodge have been used to build the base, which is sitting on a 1.5m (depth) concrete sub-base and stone mouldings from the flank wall have been re-used as corbels to support the plaque.
The plaque
Harris Digital Productions filmed the entire Temple Bar Project.
Time Capsule
Friday, September 10th, 200410th September 2004
Stonemasons have buried a Time Capsule inside the floor of the upper chamber. A diamond drill was used to cut the 100mm diameter hole.
Site Manager, Gary Collings inside the upper chamber of the Temple Bar Gateway, with the Time Capsule
The Time Capsule contains a newspaper dated 10th September 2004, a set of mint 2004 coins, a group image of the stonemasons involved in the dismantling of Temple Bar at Theobalds Park, and a group picture of the stonemasons with the Lord Mayor, Alderman Robert Finch at Paternoster Square.
The Time Capsule was placed inside the hole on behalf of the stonemasons by the smiling Site Manager, Gary Collings.
Temple Bar will be officially opened in November 2004.
Last stone is laid
Wednesday, August 25th, 2004
Last stone is laid at Paternoster Square
History is made after 126 years, London’s most famous gateway has now been reassembled back in the City. The last remaining stone was fixed into position on Wednesday afternoon by CWO, Stonemasons Phil and Jay.
The Corporation of London, has returned London’s last remaining gateway back to the City after it was taken down in 1878. It was then reassembled at Theobalds Park in 1889 where it stood for 116 years. You can follow this historic project and the journey of Sir Christopher Wren’s 2,700 stones in a forthcoming production
Time capsule is buried
Thursday, February 26th, 2004
Time Lord 26th February 2004
Alderman Robert Finch, Lord Mayor of the City of London, today reminded people living and working in the City of London in 500 years time of life in the City of London today, when he placed a time capsule in stone C45 just above the western plinth of Temple Bar in Paternoster Square. With the quality of the reconstruction, using traditional lime mortar, it is conservatively estimated that there is no reason why Temple Bar should need to be deconstructed - and the time capsule discovered - for over 500 years, if not for considerably longer.
The stainless steel Time Capsule contains a factual snapshot of the City of London in 2004, together with notes, black and white photographs and news cuttings explaining the move back to Paternoster Square. The Lord Mayor chose to enclose an Egyptian sixpence in the capsule which was presented to the Lord Mayor by President Mubarak in Cairo in February 2004, as “a means of leaving our friendship uncut”. The President had earlier been presented with a silver paper knife by the Lord Mayor.
The capsule was professionally sealed after sealing individual contents to enhance their chance of survival and after ensuring no acidic materials were included. A full list of contents is shown below.
The time capsule was placed in the neatly chiselled circular hole in the same stone from which a Victorian time capsule was recovered just 5 weeks ago in Theobalds Park and which dated back to 1889. The placing of the capsule was witnessed by Gary Collings, Site Manager of Cathedral Works, the team on site and filmed by John Harris of Harris Digital Productions.
It is planned that Temple Bar will be reconstructed for a formal opening by November 2004.
Last stone is lifted
Wednesday, February 4th, 2004
Last stone is lifted at Theobalds
The last remaining stone from Temple Bar was lifted from the ground at 1pm on Wednesday, 4th February 2004. The stone known as LUFC7 took the stone masons 7 hours to dismantle from the ground, due to the adjoining structure which was added to Temple Bar at Theobalds Park in 1888/9.
On lifting the final stone, a cheer of excitement bellowed out from the site, marking the end of the work at Theobalds Park.
First stone is laid
Wednesday, November 26th, 2003
The first stone is laid at Paternoster Square
Jacko and Phil, lay the first stone at Paternoster Square. Stone 1/1 forms part of the plinth which will form a base for Temple Bar.
Work starts in the City
Thursday, October 16th, 2003
Lord Mayor unveils commemorative plaque
On Thursday 16 October 2003 the Lord Mayor of the City of London, Alderman Gavyn Arthur, unveiled a commemorative plaque at Paternoster Square to mark the start of the reconstruction works for the return of Temple Bar to the City of London. The Bar is an international symbol of English Common Law.
Alderman Gavyn Arthur is the 675th Lord Mayor of the City of London and he is the first practising Barrister to become Lord Mayor. Alderman Arthur is Head of the Corporation of London, which has funded the return of Temple Bar to the City of London.
“As a practising Barrister with chambers in Middle Temple, I recognise the significance of the return of Temple Bar to the City of London. It will showcase how the ancient and modern can sit side by side in the world’s leading international financial centre and will be a constant reminder of the central role that the law plays in the City of London.”
Alderman Gavyn Arthur, Lord Mayor of the City of London.
First stone is dismantled
Monday, October 13th, 2003
The first stone is lifted
Another important date was added to the history of London’s most famous gateway, when the first stone of Temple Bar was carefully dismantled.
Each stone is numbered and placed on pallet which is covered with protective softening. The old mortar which was used to fix the stones into position is removed by the stone masons. The pallets are then lowered by a fork lift truck and then shrink-wrapped before being selectively placed within the compound of the site.
Work starts at Theobalds
Thursday, July 3rd, 2003
Day 1 - work starts at Theobalds Park, Cheshunt
Contractors start preparing the site surrounding London’s most famous gateway - Temple Bar at Theobalds Park, Cheshunt.
Today, marks the start of a 72 week project in which more than 2,500 stones will be carefully dismantled and reassembled at a new site opposite St. Paul’s Cathedral in the heart of London.
This is reported to be the first time a grade 1 listed building has been dismantled and rebuilt in a new location.
