A Tale of 2 Temple Bar Medals

[constanius]

Bein Weiss has this Temple Bar medal,struck from the roof-lead when it was removed during the dismantling of the Bar in 1878. The Bar was subsequently rebuild in Theobalds Park. Now it has been restored to London, it does get around!

 

 

 

Now see what I have found, to me it looks like the Temple Bar, but not the same as that other medal. So I decided to see what the Bar looked like before its removal in 1878.

Notice 2 lamps in the side passages, minus the glass covers, compare to painting.

1870 image.This shows it at Theobalds Park.

 

The restored Temple Bar back in London.

 

So my unifaced medal is a more accurate representation of the old Temple Bar before it was dismantled. The pretty medal harked back to its glory days, since been restored.

 

Temple Bar was one of the eight gates that surrounded the old City of London (the others were Aldersgate, Aldgate, Bishopsgate, Cripplegate, Ludgate, Moorgate and Newgate) and was the third Temple Bar, built in 1672.

 

The bar was used to display heads of traitors on iron spikes that protruded from the top of the main arch. The last heads displayed were those of Townley and Fletcher, who were taken at the Siege of Carlisle and executed in 1746.

[Art]

Very interesting. They sure were into gruesome displays in the old days.

[thedeadpoint]

Wow love it!

[ccg]

Neat, and good research!

[YeOldeCollector]

Very interesting post, thanks Pat!