THE KNIGHTS HOSPITALLERS
IN SOMERSET
BRISTOL (Temple Meads)
See Also the Knights Templar in Somerset - In 1313, following the suppression of the Knights Templar, the Church of the Holy Cross was granted to the Knights Hospitaller. By the early 14th century, it had become the parish church for the area known as Temple Fee. Around this time, the church underwent significant rebuilding on a rectangular plan, a project that continued into the 15th century and was completed by 1460 with the addition of its distinctive leaning west tower. The Hospitallers retained ownership until 1540, when the church was taken during the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Remarkably, a medieval chandelier survived the bombing raids of World War II and now hangs in Bristol Cathedral—a rare and tangible link to the church's storied past.
TEMPLECOMBE
See Also the Knights Templar in TempleCombe - After the surpression of the Knights Templars in the early 14th Century, the Preceptory at TempleCombe was handed to the Hospitallers after 1312. According to reports the are scattered remains of the Preceptory, including the Chapel, existing at Manor Farm House. The team from Channel4's Time Team chose the location for an episode of the programme, to excavate the remains here - however they were to make an error in where they beleived the buildings were, and when they were to look at the medieval tithe maps realised the error - however by this time ot was unfortuantely too late for them to continue.
MINCHIN BUCKLAND
During the reign of King Henry II, William de Erlegh founded a house of regular canons at Minchin Buckland, However after they were found to have killed a steward, and carried out other unjustifiable acts, were surpressed, and were removed to other Houses.
The King in turn would then grant all their lands to the Knights Hospitallers, in 1180, upon the condition that they place all their sisters of the order at the location. Which the Hospitallers complied with, and the site became a nunnery of the order.
The Hospitallers would develop the lands further, and establish a seperate preceptopry here.
BROOMFIELD
CHEDZOY
DURSTON
HALSE
KILMERSDEN
NORTH PETHERTON
TOLLAND
BODMISCOMBE
SHURTON
HELE
WILLITON
The Manor of Williton: From FitzUrse to the Knights Hospitallers
Long before 1172, Reynold FitzUrse, one of the knights involved in the murder of St. Thomas Becket, gave—or possibly sold—half of his manor of Williton to the Knights Templar, likely to fund a journey to Rome and the Holy Land as penance for his role in Becket’s death.
After the suppression of the Templars in 1312, the estate passed to the Crown and, in 1332, was granted to the Knights Hospitaller. Following the dissolution of the Hospitallers in 1540, the manor once again reverted to the Crown, before being granted in 1544 to John (later Sir John) Leigh of London.
The manor itself has a fascinating history of division and occupation:
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FitzUrse’s half-brother Robert FitzUrse received a small house on the estate around 1172–75.
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By 1388, the manor had physically split into two houses, with distinct chambers, halls, barns, and byres.
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Over the 16th and early 17th centuries, these two parts were occupied by families such as the Wyndhams, Hadleys, and Dawe, sometimes united under a single lease.
The manor likely stood on the north side of the stream southwest of Williton chapel, and buildings remained on the site as late as 1801.
