Broken medieval tile from Temple Church. |
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The Inner Temple, though not a corporation, uses
an armorial device, Azure a pegasus salient argent. This ancient
usage was confirmed in 1967 by the College of Arms.
The Inner Temple pegasus is first mentioned in
Gerard Legh's account of the Christmas revels of 1561, when Robert
Dudley (favourite of Queen Elizabeth I) acted the principal part
of Prince Pallaphilos, constable-marshal of the Inner Temple, and
patron of the Honourable Order of Pegasus. It has been suggested
that the choice of pegasus reflected Dudley's real-life office of
Master of the Horse. Alternatively, it may have resulted from a
misinterpretation of ancient tiles in Temple Church showing a knight
on horseback with a shield barry; these tiles alternated with the
Paschal lamb and flag of the knights Templar, which was adopted
as the emblem of the Middle Temple.
Carving by F. M. Rysbrack, 1739. Formerly over the Hall
entrance. |
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Representations of the flying horse were thereafter
widely used on the Inn's property, sometimes as a badge or crest,
sometimes borne on a shield. In 1709 Sir James Thornhill painted
an allegorical scene at the east end of the Hall showing Pegasus
rising from Mount Helicon. Various other representations are to
be found throughout the Inn.
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