The most intact example of Elizabethan half-timbering left in central London, the facade of the Staple Inn dates from 1545. The building barely escaped the Great Fire of London of 1666 due to a contemporary form of fire-protective plastering which was applied to its front facade at the time.The site was originally a wool market during the 13th Century, and its name derives from the term ‘Staple’, a duty on wool introduced in 1275. From 1415 to 1884, the site was used by members of the legal profession who formed the ‘Society of Staple Inn’. Since 1887, Staple Inn has been used by the Institute of Actuaries.
- Staple Inn
- Chancery Lane, London
- www.actuaries.org.uk
- Underground: Chancery Lane