Extra-parochial area

In the United Kingdom, an extra-parochial area was an area considered to be outside any parish. Extra-parochial areas were gradually either integrated with a neighbouring or surrounding parish, or made independent parishes in the 19th century.

Although unparished areas now exist again in many districts of England, the term extra-parochial area is never used for them. The historic extra-parochial areas of Inner Temple and Middle Temple, within the liberties of the City of London, still exist. Since the time of the Knights Templar, 700 years before the separation of civil and ecclesiastical parishes, The Temple has been a Royal Peculiar, exempt from the Bishop's jurisdiction, (so the "Reverend and Valiant Master of the Temple" is answerable only to the Queen, and not to the Bishop of London). Likewise the Temple was too well connected with the Crown to submit to the jurisdiction of the City: the Honorable Societies of The Middle and The Inner Temple undertook the functions of local authorities.