Temple Hirst Preceptory facts for kids

Temple Hirst Preceptory was a special kind of religious house in North Yorkshire, England. It was like a headquarters for the Knights Templar, a famous group of warrior monks. They built and managed this site long ago.

The Knights Templar at Temple Hirst

The Knights Templar were a powerful Christian military order. They were active during the Middle Ages. They built many preceptories, which were like their local bases or farms. Temple Hirst was one of these important places in Yorkshire. Other Templar sites nearby included Temple Newsam and Wetherby.

Temple Hirst was given to the Templars in 1152 by Ralph and William Hastings. This gift was later confirmed in 1155 by Henry de Lacy. By 1160, Temple Hirst was already set up as a preceptory. Robert Pirou was recorded as its leader, called a preceptor, around that time.

How the Preceptory Grew

Temple Hirst quickly became a big administrative center. The Templars received many land gifts in places like Norton, Eggborough, and Kellington. By 1185, they owned land in several villages. They also had the church of Kellington and two mills at Hirst.

During the 1200s, the preceptory gained even more properties. These included lands in Hirst Courtney, East, Chapel, and West Haddlesey. They also owned land in Osgodby, Thorne, and Fishlake. By 1308, they had added lands in Hensall, Smeaton, and Burn. This shows how much their estate grew over time.

Buildings at Temple Hirst

In 1308, a list of the buildings at Temple Hirst was made. It included a main hall or treasury, a chapel, and a kitchen with a larder. There was also a brewhouse for making drinks and a bakehouse for baking bread. A dovecot, which housed pigeons, was also present.

Another list from 1312 added more buildings. These included a dormitory where people slept and a dairy for milk products. There was also a granary for storing grain and a forge for metalwork. The chapel inside the preceptory had an altar dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The Templars also had a farm building called a grange. This grange was located across the river at Potterlawe in Eggborough. It was later known as Sherwood Hall. Sherwood Hall was taken down in the 1960s to make way for the Eggborough Power Station.

Later History of the Estate

After the Knights Templar were disbanded, the Temple Hirst estate went to the Darcy family. They owned it for many years. However, Thomas, Lord Darcy, lost the estate in 1537. This happened because of his involvement in a historical event called the Pilgrimage of Grace.

Temple Hirst in Literature

The old remains of Temple Hirst Preceptory might have inspired a famous novel. This novel is called Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott. In the book, there is a place called Templestowe, which was a preceptory.

The bell of the church of St Michael, mentioned in the novel, is thought to be from the Templar’s church at Kellington. Sir Walter Scott's friend, Mr. Morritt of Rokeby, owned Sherwood Hall. This was the old grange of Potterlawe that belonged to Temple Hirst Preceptory.