ThTHE TEMPLARS

IN LINCOLN

THE TEMPLARS IN LINCOLN

CITATION

Many thanks to the British History Online & 'Houses of Knights Templar', in A History of the County of York: Volume 3, ed. William Page( London, 1974), British History Online (https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/yorks/vol3/pp256-260)

THE PRECEPTORY OF WILLOUGHTON

This preceptory was founded by Roger de Builli during the reign of Stephen. Simon de Cancy was a benefactor of the same period, as were also William de Romara, earl of Lincoln, and his half-brother Ranulf earl of Chester; Hugh of Bayeux, Robert of Boulogne, Simon de Vere, Robert de Roose, Alan d'Avenel, all added something to the original endowment. It seems probable that the manor of Mere formed only a part of the endowment of this house, and did not support a separate preceptory; there was not even a camera there in 1338, at which date it merely occurs as a member of Willough ton.

THE PRECEPTORY OF EAGLE

The preceptory of Eagle is said to have been founded by King Stephen, who presented the manor on which it was built to the Templars.

This house also passed to the Hospitallers in 1312; a preceptor and a chaplain were living here in 1338. About twenty years later the administration of Eagle, Temple Bruer, and Beverley (Yorks.), were committed to one knight, John of Anlaby, by the general chapter of the order; but he was afterwards despoiled of this office by the prior of the hospital, whereupon he appealed to the pope. The causes of the difficulty are not stated in the petition made in 1359.

It seems to have been a common thing as time went on to put one commander or preceptor in charge of. two or three houses of the order; in 1415 Willoughton and Eagle are thus coupled together. Shortly before the dissolution the title, 'Bailiff of the Eagle,' seems to have been little more than a title of honour, not implying residence at the commandery, which was left in charge of a steward, or farmer.

The original endowment included the manor of Eagle, with the churches of Eagle, Swinderby, and Scarle; lands at Mere were either given at the same time or added afterwards

THE PRECEPTORY OF ASLACKBY

This preceptory was founded early in the reign of Henry II; for Hubert of Rye presented to the Templars the church of Aslackby with its chapel 'in the year when Thomas archbishop of Canterbury departed from the king at Northampton;' that is to say, in 1164. Margaret de Percy was also a benefactress of the house, and so was John le Mareschall in 1194

The house was taken into the king's hands in 1312, but was never made into a new commandery by the Hospitallers. They held at Aslackby in 1338 a capital messuage, 2 carucates of land and a church, which were farmed to Henry de la Dale, secretary to the Earl of Lancaster. This property was afterwards made part of the endowment of Temple Bruer. Temple Farm now sits on the site

THE PRECEPTORY OF SOUTH WITHAM

The Templars seem to have had a small house here, with the advowson of a moiety of the parish church, for it was taken into the king's hands in 1312 as part of the possessions of the order. It was then charged with one corrody. The Hospitallers probably could not afford to support a commandery here; they held in 1338 a messuage, 8 carucates, and a moiety of the parish church, which was farmed to Sir Richard de Ty, and eventually the

bailiwick was merged in the preceptory of Temple Bruer.

THE PRECEPTORY OF TEMPLE BRUER

The preceptory of Temple Bruer was founded late in the reign of Henry II by William of Ashby, who was admitted soon afterwards into the fraternity of the house, and increased the original endowment before his death. Other benefactors were Maud de Cauz, John d'Eyncourt, Robert of Everingham, William de Vescy, Gilbert of Ghent, &c. The house seems to have been of considerable size and importance; the brethren were allowed to crenellate the great gate in 1306, and in 1312 there were nine corrodyholders dependent upon its revenues for support.

In 1338 the hospitallers had established a commandery of their order at Temple Bruer; it was under the same preceptor as the house at Eagle, and there was a squire also in residence.

The original endowment included lands in Ashby, with the parish church and pasturage for sheep; lands at Rowston, Heckington, Burton, and elsewhere, with the church of Rowston, and possibly others besides, were granted by benefactors of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries

TEMPLAR FIGURES AT LINCOLN

Knights Templar at Lincoln

Preceptors of Willoughton

Thomas de Thurmeston, occurs 1338
Henry Crownhall, occurs 1414
John Sutton, occurs 1534
Grafton (John of) - Willoughton Template, arrested in January 1308, sent penance to the Diocese of Coventry and Lichfield
Henry the Marshall - Templar in Willoughton, arrested in January 1308, died before his interrogation
Robert of Spanthon (Spaunton,Sprouton,Stanton) - Templar in Willoughton, arrested in January 1308, penitence in the Diocese of Norwich

Preceptors or Bailiffs of Eagle

Robert Cort, occurs 1338.
John of Anlaby, occurs 1359
- LISTED ARCHBISHOP REGISTER YORK (As Below)

TNA - C 85/181/45

Entry Type:Signification of excommunication

Summary:Request for secular assistance in pursuing Anlougby, an obdurate excommunicate. Endorsement: Yorkshire

Language:Latin

Note:This may be the same man as the John de Anlauby who received absolution from excommunication on 21 March 1320. BIA Register 9A, fol. 336r, entry 3.

Dates:1321/07/29

People and Groups:Addressee/s: Edward II, king of England; Sender/s: William [de Melton], archbishop of York; Person/s: John de Anlougby [Anlaby];

Places:Bishop Burton, East Riding of Yorkshire, England

Henry Crownhall, occurs 1415
William Langstrother, occurs about 1454 - KNIGHT HOSPITALLER

Knight Hospitaller and eventually Prior of the order in England. Executed after the Battle of Tewkesbury, May 1471.

Sir William Langstrother, who had higher precedence in the Order in the 1450s and was complicit in the abduction/elopement of Jane Boys by Robert Langstrother, may have been their brother, or their uncle.

John Babington, died 1534 - KNIGHT HOSPITALLER

Sir John (d. by 1533), dedicated to Hospitaller Order. In 1509 he was preceptor of Yeaveley & Barrow and bef. 1522 he was Preceptor at Temple Bruer, later achieving the highest ranks of the Hospitaller

Bernewell (Robert of) - arrested in January 1308, penance in the diocese of Lincoln
Geoffrey Joliffe - arrested in January 1308, penance in the diocese of Lincoln
Halton (Robert of) - Templar in Eagle, arrested in January 1308, died on 29 December 1308
Henry de la Wole (Valey or Valicia or Wolde) - Templar at Eagle, arrested in January 1308, described as old and decrepit, abjured and was absolved
John du Vale(Vaal) - Templar in Eagle, arrested in January 1308, died on 15 July 1308
John of Saddlecombe - Templar at Eagle, arrested in January 1308, sent in penance to Swineshead Abbey in the diocese of Lincoln, died in early September 1311 without being absolved
John of Waddona(Waldona) - Prior of Eagle, arrested in January 1308, sent in penance to the diocese of Worcester
Langton (Robert of) - Templar in Eagle, (commander of Withley?) arrested in January 1308, died on 29 December 1308
Wolde (Robert of the) - Knight, Commander of Eagle, arrested in January 1308, penitence at Spalding Priory, Diocese of Lincoln - 592. Present in London in 1310

Preceptors or Commanders of Temple Bruer

John Wolf (Also de Lupus) occurs 1221
Robert de Screcton, or Sutton 1239
Fr. Amadeus 1260
Robert de Turville 1282
Brian de Jay 1287

Master of Scotland in 1292, present in the general chapter of Cyprus, who elected Jacques de Molay in 1292

Guido de Forcsla 1290
William de la More 1300
Robert Cort, occurs 1338
John Seyvill, occurs 1415
John Boswell, occurs 1493
Thomas Newport, occurs 1503
John Babington, occurs 1531, died 1534
Giles Russell, last commander, occurs 1539
Evesham (Randulph of) - Prior to Bruer, arrested in January 1308, penitence in the diocese of Coventry and Lichfield
Eyglas (Eycle or Aykle or Eagle) (John of) - Templar in Bruer, arrested in January 1308, sent in penance to Reading Abbey
Richard of Brestsam (Bistelesham) - Templar in Bruer, arrested in January 1308, penance in the Diocese of Coventry and Lichfield
Alexander of Althon (Halton) - possibly died during the trial, was not in London in 1311 and was not a member of the Templars Absolved in July 1311

Preceptors or Commanders of Aslackby

John of Belasala(Balsall) - Templar at Aslackby, arrested in January 1308, sent in penance to the Diocese of Worcester
Newent (Richard of) - Templar of Aslackby, arrested in January 1308, penance at the Priory of Wallingford in the diocese of Salisbury
Richard of Newent - Templar of Aslackby, arrested in January 1308, penance at the Priory of Wallingford in the diocese of Salisbury

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