Over the centuries the number of active Inns of Court was reduced to four , which are Lincoln 's Inn , Gray 's Inn , Inner Temple and Middle Temple .
There were also minor Inns of Chancery , including Clement 's Inn , Clifford 's Inn and Lyon 's Inn ( attached to the Inner Temple ) ; Strand Inn and New Inn ( attached to the Middle Temple ) ; Furnival 's Inn and Thavie 's Inn ( attached to Lincoln 's Inn ) ; and Staple Inn and Barnard 's Inn ( attached to Gray 's Inn ) . There were and are only four Inns of Court , which have a special and historic status including , for example , the authority to call members to the Bar and therefore confer on them rights of audience in the High Court .