The Tower of The Knights Templar
Church History
• The order of the Knights Templer was established in 1118 by Baldwin II, King of Jerusalem.
• Prior to 1174 the Lady de CAUX founded a Knights Templer site here.
• In 1185 the Knights Templar established a large Preceptory here. Eventually their holdings grew to over 10,000 acres and included land in 28 different parishes. Most was used for grazing sheep. The Preceptory temple was reserved for the Knights and the common people could not enter.
• It is presumed that there was a separate church for commoners in the old Knights Templars parish, but no records from it have been found.
• In 1311, the Knights Templar order was suppressed by the Council of Vienna and Temple Bruer was awarded to the Knights Hospitallers who converted the Preceptory into a Commandery (more a change of name than in function). But during this century the local village was deserted.
• When the monasteries were dissolved by Henry VIII in 1538, Temple Bruer was valued at £184, six shillings and 8 pence. The King granted it to Charles BRANDON, Duke of Suffolk. The King visited here in 1541.
• A 1726 engraving shows much of the Temple still standing, but 50 years later only the tower remained.
Please refer to the guide information board published by the local council. Its very informative. You may enter the tower.
Please do not cause any graffiti whatsoever.
Children must be supervised at all times within the tower> public access is granted under agreement with local council and landowner.
For passage through the farm by the permissible public route, Please respect the farm, no litter, no touching, and do not visit in dark hours. Thank you.