Inner Temple Library, Law library in City of London, England
Inner Temple Library is a law library in the City of London, specialising in English law, legal history, biography, and heraldic materials. It sits within the Inner Temple grounds and offers members access to both printed volumes and digital legal databases through dedicated workstations.
The library was first recorded in 1440 and originally occupied a Gothic building on the Temple grounds. After being damaged during World War II, it moved to its current building in 1958.
The library is a working space where barristers and judges come to research cases and consult each other on points of law. Inside the reading room, the atmosphere is one of focused daily work rather than ceremonial display.
The library is open Monday to Friday and is primarily accessible to practicing lawyers and other legal professionals based within the Temple. Anyone planning a visit should check access conditions in advance, as entry is generally restricted.
In 1707, William Petyt left his extensive manuscript collection to the library, greatly expanding its holdings of rare legal documents. Petyt had served as Keeper of the Records at the Tower of London, which gives his papers a historical weight that goes beyond legal scholarship alone.
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