The Lord Mayor of London, Gavyn Arthur - the first barrister to hold the post - will be shortly replaced by solicitor Robert Finch, but he will leave an enduring mark of his tenure on legal London by initiating the return of Sir Christopher Wren's Temple Bar to the City of London, Obiter is pleased to report.

Temple Bar was built between 1669 and 1672 as the gateway marking the original western boundary between the City of London and the City of Westminster.

It was so named because of its proximity to the Temple and the Inns of Court, and Mr Arthur said it is seen as a symbol of English common law.

It was removed from Fleet Street, stone by stone, in 1878 to enable the road to be widened and the Royal Courts of Justice to be built, and currently stands in woods at Theobalds Park in Hertfordshire, rebuilt by Sir Henry Meux, the brewer, to form an entrance to his estate.

However, work by the Temple Bar Trust, set up in 1976, is leading to its return to the redeveloped Paternoster Square by St Paul's Cathedral, where it will act as its southern gateway.

Mr Arthur recently unveiled a commemorative plaque at the site to mark the start of the work, which is scheduled to be completed in November 2004.

LINKS: www.thetemplebar.info