# Do the Inns of Court actually date back to real inns? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 6, 2007, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-inns-of-court-actually-date-back-to-real-inns/425376 "2007-11-06T02:49:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sunrazor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sunrazor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunrazor)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-inns-of-court-actually-date-back-to-real-inns/425376/1 "2007-11-06T02:49:42Z")
Asking our British friend with knowledge of the legal system thereof: I’m working on a paper on John Donne for my MA degree in English Lit. In the research, I discovered the Inns of Court (Donne was a member of the long-gone Thaives Inn, according to Wiki). My lit prof says the Inns of Court are so-called because the “modern” business office didn’t exist much before the 18th century, most business being transacted in neighborhood taverns and inns. Allegedly, the legal profession grew up out of these inns, evolving into a complex of law schools, law offices, chapels and even living quarters. Wikipedia is vague on the history of the Inns of Court. Did they once actually consist of taverns and inns? ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-inns-of-court-actually-date-back-to-real-inns/425376/2 "2007-11-06T02:59:57Z")
From the site of [Lincoln’s Inn](http://www.lincolnsinn.org.uk/origins.asp): > [@](#): > > It was probably early during the 14th century that the Inns first took shape. ‘‘Inn’’ (or “hospitium”) then meant a town house or mansion, and in particular a mansion used as a hostel for students.