Many of the letters held in the Dickson, Archer and Thorp collection are either addressed to, or from, Lincoln’s Inn Fields. The area was once one of the largest public squares in London, surrounded by important buildings and steeped in history. The square and surrounding area gained its name from the nearby Lincoln’s Inn, an Inn of Court. It is not known exactly when this legal Inn was established but it was likely in the early 1400s. The Inn was not only a place for lawyers to congregate, it also accommodated young law students and apprentices.
The fields were originally used for leisure by students of the nearby Lincoln’s Inn courts of law. Between the 1500s and 1600s the fields were used as an execution site. Anthony Babington was executed here in 1586, and Lord Russell was executed in 1683 for the Rye House Plot to kill Charles II.
The fields were first developed for residential use during the 1630s – but not without complaint from the lawyers of Lincoln’s Inn. The subsequent square, and its architecture, was the epitome of the Restoration period. A theatre was set up in the square by William Davenant, whilst Samuel Pepys was a regular visitor to the area. During the Great Fire of London, the people were allowed to keep their goods in the fields. Lincoln’s Inn Fields most famous residents included the 1st Earl of Sandwich and Nell Gwyn (mistress of Charles II, who gave birth whilst living in the square).
The area even gave inspiration to Charles Dickens in the 1800s; whose first job was a lawyer’s clerk in Holborn. Sir John Soane also founded a museum in the square. during the 1800s Sir John is perhaps best known for designing the Bank of England.
The Dickson, Archer and Thorp letters addressed to this square were intended for the lawyers who were still practising their trade in legal hub. The letters mix personal sentiment with legal advice and wrangling and give a fascinating insight into cross-country legal discussions.
