Rothley Temple facts for kids
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The Templar Chapel built c.1240; incorporated into a later building
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 Location in Leicestershire
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| Monastery information | |
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| Other names | Rothley Temple |
| Order | Knights Templar From 1313: Knights Hospitaller |
| Established | c.1231 |
| Disestablished | 1540 |
| Mother house | from c.1371: Dalby Preceptory |
| Site | |
| Location | Rothley, Leicestershire |
| Coordinates | 52°42′20″N 1°08′52″W / 52.7056°N 1.1478°W |
| Visible remains | The Preceptory's chapel and part of the domestic buildings still remain as part of the Rothley Court Hotel. |
Rothley Temple, also known as Rothley Preceptory, was a special kind of religious building. It was run by groups of warrior monks called the Knights Templar and later the Knights Hospitaller. This historic site is located in the village of Rothley, Leicestershire, England.
Today, the old chapel of Rothley Preceptory is part of the Rothley Court Hotel. It's a cool example of how old buildings can be used in new ways!
Contents
History of Rothley Preceptory
How Rothley Preceptory Began
Rothley Preceptory was started around the year 1231. However, the Knights Templar, who were also known as "The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon," owned land in Rothley even earlier. They had land here during the time of King John, who ruled from 1199 to 1216.
When the preceptory was officially set up, King Henry III gave the Knights Templar the local manor and church. The preceptory eventually owned land in 13 nearby villages. They even had large farms called granges in places like Baggrave and Gaddesby. The knights also owned the manor house at Gaddesby.
Around 1250, records show that the preceptory earned about £62 each year. This money was used to help other Knights Templar in Acre, which is in modern-day Israel.
In 1284, King Edward I gave the knights a special permission. This allowed them to hold a weekly market in Rothley every Monday. They could also have an annual fair in June, celebrating Saint Barnabas. This continued until 1306. Then, King Edward gave them new permission. They could now hold their market and festival at their manor in Gaddesby instead. This new market was held on Wednesdays, and the festival was in July, honoring Mary Magdalen.
The End of the Knights Templar
After losing the Holy Land in 1291, the Knights Templar became less powerful. They were forced to move their main base to France. Soon after, King Philip IV of France started a campaign against them. The King owed a lot of money to the Templars. He used Pope Clement V, who was under his influence, to act against them.
King Philip had Pope Clement arrest the Templars. They were accused of many things, including turning away from their faith and secret rituals. Many Templars were forced to confess to these accusations.
With these confessions, and after more pressure from the French King, Pope Clement issued a special order. This order, called the Pastoralis Praeeminentiae, came out on November 22, 1307. It told all the kings in Europe to arrest the Knights Templar. It also ordered them to take all their property for the church. This way, King Philip no longer had to pay his debts to the Templars.
At first, King Edward II of England didn't believe the accusations against the Templars. But in 1308, Rothley Preceptory was taken over by the Crown. All other Templar properties in England were also seized.
An inventory from 1309 shows what the preceptory had after it was closed. It included a hall and a chapel, which was built around 1240. The preceptory also had over 350 sheep!
The Knights Hospitaller Take Over
In 1313, Rothley Preceptory and its lands were given to another group of warrior monks. They were called the Military Hospitaller Order of St John of Jerusalem, or the Knights Hospitaller.
Rothley didn't seem to be managed as its own preceptory by the Hospitallers. By 1371, it was combined with the Dalby and Heather Preceptory. This was another Hospitaller site in Leicestershire. One leader, called a Preceptor, then managed all three of these preceptories from Dalby.
Around the year 1500, the land at all three preceptories—Dalby, Heather, and Rothley—was rented out. In 1535, these three combined preceptories brought in a good amount of money. They provided the order with an annual income of £231.
In the 15th century, the Hospitallers made some changes to the chapel at the preceptory.
The Final Closure
The preceptory was officially closed down in 1540. The control of the Manor of Rothley, which the preceptory used to hold, then passed to the Babington family. They owned it from 1565 until 1845. The Babingtons decided not to destroy the preceptory's chapel. Instead, they included it, along with parts of the old buildings, into the new house they built on the site.
Later History of Rothley Temple
Fighting to End Slavery
Rothley Temple eventually came into the hands of Thomas Babington (1758–1837). He was a very important person in the Clapham Sect. This group worked hard to end the slave trade. Thomas Babington was a close friend of William Wilberforce. They often met at Rothley Temple to write their bill against slavery.
Babington later became a Member of Parliament for Leicester. He also served as High Sheriff of Leicestershire. He was buried in the chapel at Rothley Temple.
Today, a large stone monument and plaque stand outside the building. They remember the building's and Babington's important role in ending slavery. In 1800, the historian Thomas Babington Macaulay (1800–1859), who later became Lord Macaulay, was born at Rothley Temple. He was named after his uncle.
Rothley Court Today
The preceptory's chapel and some of the old buildings still exist. They are now part of the Rothley Court Hotel. Rothley Court was originally a grand home. It includes parts of the preceptory that were changed into a house in the 16th century. Much of what you see today comes from major renovations and additions. These were done by John Ely of Manchester between 1894 and 1895.
The chapel was greatly restored in 1896. In 1951, Rothley Court and the chapel were given special protection. They were listed as Grade I Buildings, meaning they are very important historically.
Over the years, several old stone objects and parts of grave markers have been found near the chapel. You can see them there today. This includes a statue of a Templar knight. It was found in Rothley Churchyard in 1790. After a £2,000 restoration in 2011, the statue was placed inside the chapel at Rothley Temple.
Rothley Temple is also the name of a lodge of the Freemasons. This group was founded in 1961 or 1962. They chose the name because of the preceptory's connection to the Knights Templar.
Leaders of the Preceptory
The Preceptor was the head of a preceptory. This role was similar to an Abbot in an Abbey or a Prior in a Priory. The Preceptor was in charge of the preceptory's church and land. They also managed the members of the order who lived there. The Preceptor reported to the Grand Master of their order.
Here are some of the Preceptors under the Knights Templar:
- Stephen of Todmershe
- John Feversham
- Walter of Ewenightewith
- William of Wald
- Alexander Blundus
- William of Colewell (around 1271)
Here are some of the Preceptors under the Knights Hospitallers: From about 1371, Rothley was managed by the Preceptor of Dalby Preceptory.
- John Dingley (around 1371)
- John Langstrothyr (around 1448)
- Thomas Newport (died 1522)
- Henry Babbington (around 1525)
- John Babbington (died 1534)
- Sir Henry Poole (1535/6 – 1540)
See also
