Names of English Colleges

Inns of Chancery and Court

The Inns of Chancery and Court were the other major institutions of higher learning. They were the centers of training for lawyers and clerks for royal service. Their founding dates are lost in history: the Inns of Court seem to have been founded sometime after 1292, when Edward I made an ordinance professionalizing and secularlizing the legal profession. While the current records of the Inns of Court date back only to 1422 or later (depending on the Inn), we are told that a 16th century student saw a record stating a fine paid by Geoffrey Chaucer (http://tarlton.law.utexas.edu/lpop/etext/lsf/seaman6.htm). So it certainly seems probable that they had taken form by the mid-14th century.

We have separated them from colleges because the naming patterns are different. The Inns seem to take their names from buildings, named either for a feature of the building, or for the surname or title of an owner of the building.

Inns of Court


	Dated Form:	Date:	Source:

Grayes In
Grayes Inn takes its name from the Lords Grey of Wilton, who used this site as their London residence. They were closely associated with the legal profession, and may have donated the house to the incipient Inn. http://www.innertemple.org.uk/history/inns_records.html http://www.online-law.co.uk/bar/grays_inn/introduction.html

	Greysin	1395	http://www.online-law.co.uk/bar/grays_inn/introduction.html
	a felaw in Grays In	Jul 1454	Paston (vol. 2, p. 330; document: 254)
	Danyell of Grayes In	01? Aug 1461	Paston (vol. 3, p. 296; document: 474)
	Thomas Rogers of Greyysyn and Exst of the Tempyll	1466	Stonor (section i, p. 73; document 79)
	Robert Holbenne of Greysyn	? 02 Nov 1476	Stonor (section ii, p. 17; document 174)
	Greyes-Inne	1623	Shakespeare Henry IV, Part II, First Folio

Lincoln Inne
Lincoln's Inn takes its name from Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, who had a house only a few hundred feet away. He seems to have been a patron of the Inn. http://www.lincolnsinn.org.uk/origins.asp

	Lyncolne Inne	1454	Paston (vol. 2, p. 303; document: 238)
	Lincoln Inne	05 Feb 1475	Paston (vol. 5, p. 314; document: 927)
	is nowe Reder of Lyncoln Inne	1479	Paston (vol. 6, p. 10; document: 943)
	att Lyncoll yn	c1480	Stonor (supplementary, p. 14; document 351)
	Lyncolnes Inn	09 Feb [1495/6]	Plumpton (p. 114; document: 115)
	John Chasser of Lyncolnes	10 Mar 1496/7	Plumpton (p. 119; document: 122)
	Lyncolns Inne	[23 Jan 1498/9]	Plumpton (p. 124; document: 126)
	Lyncolns Inn at London	[29 Jan 1498/9]	Plumpton (p. 125; document: 127)
	Lyncolnes Inn at London	[18 May 1501]	Plumpton (p. 143; document: 152)
	Lyncolns Inne at London	[31 May 1501]	Plumpton (p. 144; document: 153)

Inner Temple
The Inner and Middle Temple take their name from the building that they shared, which had belonged to the Knights of the Military Order of the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem (Knights Templar). After the dissolution of the order in 1312, the property was turned over to the Hospitallers, who rented it to the new law schools by at least the mid-14th century. The Inner Temple used the formerly consecrated buildings closer to the cloister. http://www.innertemple.org.uk/index2.htm

	the Inner Inne	02 Jan 1451	Paston (vol. 2, p. 206, document 169)
	at the Inner Temple	14 Nov [?after 1538]	Plumpton (p. 211; document: 232)

Middle Temple
The Inner and Middle Temple take their name from the building that they shared, which had belonged to the Knights of the Military Order of the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem (Knights Templar). After the dissolution of the order in 1312, the property was turned over to the Hospitallers, who rented it to the new law schools by at least the mid-14th century. The Middle Temple used the buildings closer to the road and further from the cloister. http://www.middletemple.org.uk/content.php?id_mnu=5&id_sub=27

	Willelmus Hankforde medii templi	12 Richard II (1388)	FIXME: Source?
	[will of 1404 of one John Bownt of Bristol with its bequest to Robert] mancipio Medii Templi	1404	FIXME: Source?
	the Mydill Inne	02 Jan 1451	Paston (vol. 2, p. 206, document 169)
	Middle Temple	03 Dec [1464]	Plumpton (p. 35; document: 11)

The Temple
Many early references do not distinguish which of the two Temple Inns they refer to. That they already existed at that time can be seen because the earliest reference here is later than the earliest references to the Middle and Inner Temples.

	the Temple	14 Oct [1462]	Plumpton (p. 29; document: 6)
	Thomas Rogers of Greyysyn and Exst of the Tempyll	1466	Stonor (section i, p. 73; document 79)
	the Temple	12 Jan [c.1535/6]	Plumpton (p. 206; document: 229)

Inns of Chancery


	Dated Form:	Date:	Source:

[Barnard's Inn]
This inn is probably named after a previous owner of the building, but it is not clear. FIXME: source?

[Clifford's Inn]
Clifford's Inn derives its name from the building, which was formerly the house of Robert de Clifford. http://www.innertemple.org.uk/history/clifford.html http://www.londonancestor.com/leighs/crt-chancery.htm

Clement's Inn
Clement's Inn is probably named after a previous owner of the building but it is not clear.

	Clementts Inne	19 Mar 1496/7	Plumpton (p. 121; document: 123)
	Clements Inne	FIXME: Date?	Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part II (First Folio)

Davys Inn
Later Thavie's Inn. http://www.londonancestor.com/leighs/crt-chancery.htm
	Davys Inn	15th C	Hanawalt (London) (p. 71, paragraph 3 mentions "Davys Inn" & references Note 9 which gives the source as: P.R.O. Cl/94/14)

Furnyvales Inne
Furnival's Inn is probably named after a previous owner of the building but it is not clear. Furnival is a byname derived from a placename according to Reaney and Wilson.

	John Staynford of Furnyvales Inne	1425	Paston (vol. 2, p. 19; document: 7)
	Furnyswall	06 May [1490]	Plumpton (p. 94; document: 86)
	Furnyvalls Inne	26 Oct 1495	Plumpton (p. 111; document: 112)
	Furnyvalls Inne	03 Feb 1496/7	Plumpton (p. 117; document: 119)
	Furnywall Inne in Oldborn	02 Mar [1496/7]	Plumpton (p. 118; document: 121)
	Furnyualls Inne	19 Mar 1496/7	Plumpton (p. 121; document: 123)

[Lyon's Inn]
This building was originally a tavern, with the sign of the lion http://www.londonancestor.com/leighs/crt-chancery.htm

[New Inn]
The building was presumably rebuilt, or built long after other buildings in the area. The origin is otherwise unclear.

Stapyll In
The Staple Inn was named after the Guild of the merchants of the staple (who managed the export of raw wool), who had previously owned the building. The building was known as 'le Stapled Halle' before 1300, long before it belonged to an inn of chancery. http://www.actuaries.org.uk/Display_Page.cgi?url=/stapleinn/history.html http://www.londonancestor.com/leighs/crt-chancery.htm
	the prynspall of Stapylin	18 Nov 1471	Paston (vol. 5, pp. 121-123; document: 789)
	the pryncypall of Stapyll In	18 Nov 1471	Paston (vol. 5, pp. 121-123; document: 789)

[Strand Inn]
Destroyed 1549. The origin of the name is unclear. http://www.innertemple.org.uk/history/inns_records.html

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