THE KNIGHTS HOSPITALLERS

IN BEDFORDSHIRE

COMMANDERY OF HARDWICK - (Kempston Hardwick)

The Knights Hospitallers at Kempston Hardwick

The Knights Hospitaller of Saint John of Jerusalem established a commandery at Hardwick (Kempston Hardwick, Bedfordshire), first recorded in 1279. This site became one of the Order’s key agricultural and manorial centres in the county.

By 1338, the holdings of the estate were detailed in a report by Brother Philip de Thame to the Grand Master of the Order. The Kempston Hardwick commandery comprised:

A messuage (dwelling house) with garden, valued at 4 shillings per year
A dovecote, valued at 3 shillings 4 pence
A water mill, worth 26 shillings 8 pence
370 acres of arable land, valued at £6 3s. 4d.
32 acres of meadow, valued at 44 shillings
8 acres of pasture, valued at 8 shillings
Additional pasture for 200 oxen, worth 20 shillings
A wood, valued at nothing—likely due to common rights or poor timber quality

These extensive holdings underline the importance of Kempston Hardwick within the Hospitallers’ Bedfordshire estates. The presence of a mill and dovecote shows a well-managed and economically functional estate, while the large acreage of arable land points to its role as a significant income-generating centre for the Order.

It is thought that the commandery at Hardwick was dissolved before 1489, perhaps reflecting wider changes in the Hospitallers’ fortunes in England. Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII, the estate was granted in 1540 to Sir Richard Longe, a favoured courtier. From there, it passed through a number of owners, including the Russell family, Earls of Bedford.

Though little remains of the Hospitallers’ commandery today, Kempston Hardwick once stood as a thriving hub of medieval agricultural and manorial life, its resources supporting the wider mission of the Order of Saint John across Christendom.

DEAN - All Saints Church

The Knights Hospitallers at the Church of All Saints, Dean

The Church of All Saints, Dean, holds a significant connection to the Knights Hospitaller of Saint John of Jerusalem, one of the great medieval military orders.

In the 12th century, the advowson (the right to appoint the parish priest) of the church was granted to the Hospitallers by Alice de Clermont, Countess of Pembrokeshire. This gift was later confirmed first by the Earl of Hertford, and then formally by King John in 1199, ensuring the Hospitallers’ rights were protected. The order retained the advowson until the Dissolution of the Monasteries under King Henry VIII (1509–1547), when their English estates and privileges were seized by the Crown.

Inside the church is one of its most striking medieval features: a tomb commemorating Walter de Ireland, rector of Dean, who died in 1311. The tomb bears a Norman French inscription which reads:

“Walter de Ireland lies here: Pray for his Soul: God have Mercy.”

It is most likely that Walter de Ireland was a Hospitaller chaplain, serving the Knights before the suppression of their order in 1312, after which many of their properties (and responsibilities) passed into the hands of the Hospitallers.

The Church of All Saints in Dean thus preserves a unique link with the Hospitallers, standing as a reminder of the enduring influence of the military orders in Bedfordshire’s religious and social life during the Middle Ages.

LANGFORD - St Andrews Church

The Church at Langford and the Knights Templar

The parish church at Langford, Bedfordshire, has a deep-rooted connection to the Knights Templar, one of the most powerful religious military orders of the Middle Ages.

In 1188, the records of the Knights Templar note that King Stephen (1135–1154) confirmed the gift of the Church of Langford (“ecclesia de Langeforde”) to the order. The gift had been made by Simon de Wahull (or de Odell), his wife Sibilla, and their son Walter. The Wahull family were among the most important barons in Bedfordshire, their power centred at Odell Castle, with estates spread across the county and beyond. The dating “apud Oxonium” (at Oxford), and the witnesses, including Robert the chancellor and Gilbert the earl, confirm the authenticity of Stephen’s reign as the context for the gift.

By 1142, there was already a church at Langford, endowed for the Templars by Simon de Wahull. The Templars later built a new church, though this was largely demolished after the order’s suppression in 1312. The present church was rebuilt in the years that followed, though elements of the earlier Templar church survive: the north and south chancel walls are the oldest remaining fabric, originally without doors or windows.

The Templars also provided chaplains for Langford. The first was Godfrey, appointed in 1185, and the last was John de Mellers, appointed in 1303. In total, nine Templar chaplains served here before the order’s suppression.

In 1312, as in much of Europe, the Knights Templar in England were arrested and their estates seized. Their properties, including the church at Langford, were transferred to the Knights Hospitaller of St. John of Jerusalem. The first vicar appointed under the Hospitallers was William de Towesland in 1314, though his incumbency was brief, and Robert Sulgrave was appointed later the same year.

Thus, the church at Langford embodies the transition from Templar to Hospitaller control, a shift mirrored across much of medieval England. While the Templars established its early form, the Hospitallers ensured its continuity, leaving Langford with a unique legacy of two great military orders of the medieval world.

LITTLE STAUGHTON

MELCHBOURNE -

The Knights Hospitallers Preceptory at Melchbourne

The Melchbourne Preceptory, located in Bedfordshire, was founded during the reign of Henry II (1154–1189). According to the Victoria County History, the estate initially belonged to the Bishop of Coutances before reverting to the Crown. It was later granted to Alice de Clermount, Countess of Pembroke, in the 12th century. Alice generously donated both the manor and the church at Melchbourne to the Knights Hospitallers of St John of Jerusalem. This grant, which also included lands in the nearby Riseley area, was officially confirmed by King John in 1199.

Melchbourne quickly rose in importance as a commandery of the Knights Hospitallers. In 1242 and again in 1328, the site hosted chapters of the priory, underscoring its significance within the order. By 1338, the commandery managed a considerable estate, including 630 acres of arable land and 60 acres of pasture. The preceptory was often one of the five key commanderies held directly by the Grand Prior of the Order, and in 1540, it was in the hands of Grand Prior Weston.

Melchbourne is also noted for its unusual burials. In 1274 and 1285, the Knights Hospitallers buried individuals who had died by suicide — a practice forbidden by the Church. However, the Order had received special papal dispensation to bury anyone who had contributed to them financially, regardless of the circumstances of their death. This was particularly notable as the Priory of Dunstable had refused Christian burial to these individuals.

The preceptory lost its formal status in 1489 but was briefly refounded by Queen Mary in 1557 during her short-lived restoration of Catholic institutions. By the time of a survey in 1586, the site was already in decay.

Today, the exact location of the preceptory buildings is not fully confirmed. However, some earthworks survive, including a pond and a possible hollow way. It is believed that part of the site was levelled during the Second World War, when burials were reportedly uncovered — evidence of which can be seen in RAF aerial photographs taken in 1945. The preceptory’s location is thought to lie east of Knotting Road and north of Melchbourne Park.

RISELEY -

The Knights Hospitallers and Templars in Riseley, Bedfordshire

Much of Riseley’s medieval history is deeply connected to the Knights Hospitallers, who by 1279 had gained substantial lands and manorial rights in Riseley and the surrounding areas. Among their holdings were Harvies Manor and the Manor of Lawrence (previously held by the Lawrence family), along with the rights of free warren, granting them exclusive hunting privileges.

Riseley also has ties to the Knights Templar. Harvies Manor is first distinctly recorded in 1279, when Walter, son of Geoffrey de Riseley, held four hides of land from the Knights Templar. Following the dissolution of the Templars, these lands passed into the possession of the Knights Hospitallers.

The site of Harvies Manor is now known as Riseley Lodge Farm, located at the end of Bowers Lane. This site still preserves medieval timber-framed buildings, including the main lodgings with their original inner wooden structure.

The Manor of Lawrence is first mentioned in 1279, when William Lawrence held the land from the Knights Hospitallers. The manor covered nearly three virgates of land. Its location was a moated site known as Machems Meece, which today is also called Lodge Farm. It lies at the top of a lane heading northeast from the junction of Rotten Row and The Butts in Riseley.

It is also possible that the lands of the Manor of Lawrence may have bordered or backed onto the lands of the nearby Melchbourne Preceptory, due to the close proximity of the two estates. This suggests that the territories of the Knights Hospitallers in this region may have been more interconnected than previously thought.

These sites remain significant markers of the enduring legacy of the medieval military orders in the Riseley landscape.

SOULDROP - All Saints Church

CLIFTON -

The Knights Hospitaller and Clifton, Bedfordshire

Clifton in Bedfordshire was home to several medieval estates under the ownership of the Knights Hospitaller of St. John of Jerusalem, reflecting the order’s significant presence in the county.

Besides the manors of Clifton and Lacies, there was a third manor in Clifton, belonging to the Prior of St. John of Jerusalem. This manor was held of the Barony of Eaton until 1303, after which it passed to the Crown. At the time of the Domesday Survey (1086), it was held by William de Caron of Eudo Dapifer, amounting to 6½ hides, and had previously belonged to Almar of Etone (Eaton Socon).

The first recorded possession by the Hospitallers is dated 1278, when the prior claimed view of frankpledge from the tenants of Clifton. By 1302–3, the holding amounted to half a knight’s fee, a status it retained for several decades. In 1316, the prior was one of three lords holding land in Clifton, and by 1338, the manor was valued at £31 17s, including a fishpond worth 6s. 8d.

The 1388 report of Brother Philip de Thame to the Grand Master provides a detailed snapshot of the manor’s assets:

One manse with a garden, valued at 37 shillings
A fulling mill, valued at 40 shillings
220 acres of arable land, at 6 pence per acre, totaling £55
173 acres of meadow, at 2 shillings 6 pence per acre, totaling 45 pounds
5 acres of pasture, at 12 pence per acre, totaling 5 shillings
A fishery, valued at 6 shillings 8 pence
Rent of the assize, 37 marks, 5 shillings 4 pence
Works of the customs, recorded as part of the manor’s income

These records highlight the manor’s economic diversity, including arable land, meadow, pasture, fisheries, a fulling mill, and rents, showing the Hospitallers’ careful management to support their religious and charitable activities.

The Hospitallers held the manor until the Dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII. In 1540, the manor was granted to Sir Richard Longe, who simultaneously acquired the preceptory of Shengay, another Hospitaller estate in Bedfordshire.

Today, the history of Clifton’s manors offers a window into medieval landholding, the operations of the Knights Hospitaller, and their lasting influence on Bedfordshire’s landscape.

MILLBROOK -

Originally, in 1287, the manor was owned by the Knights Templar, who claimed view of frankpledge twice yearly by charter of Henry III. At that time, the manor was assessed at three carucates of land. Following the suppression of the Templars by Pope Clement V, the estate, like most Templar properties, passed to the Knights Hospitaller of Saint John of Jerusalem.

By 1337, records indicate the manor comprised two carucates of land, twenty acres of meadow, and ten acres of woodland.

The 1388 Report by Brother Philip de Thames provides further detail:

"There is there a manor house with two carucates of land, twenty acres of meadow, ten acres of woodland, sixteen tenants; and they are let to the firm of William de Stanndon, for the term of his life, without paying anything therefrom, in compensation for the annual rent of one hundred shillings granted to him by his brother Thomas Larcher."

The Knights Hospitaller continued to hold Millbrook Manor until the Dissolution of the Monasteries under King Henry VIII. The manor then became property of the Crown, which already owned land in Millbrook, and was granted almost immediately to Sir Richard Longe. He acquired most of the Hospitallers’ Bedfordshire estates, including Clifton Manor. Like Clifton, Longe’s lands in Millbrook were included in his marriage settlement to Margaret Kitson in 1541.

Today, the site of Millbrook Manor bears witness to this layered history. While much of the original manor has disappeared, and is most liklely now occupied by the Villages Golf Course resort, the estate’s legacy as part of the Templars’ and Hospitallers’ medieval network of landholdings is preserved in historical records and the enduring landscape of Millbrook.

SANDY -

See Gretteford (Gritford)

SHARNBROOK & SWONTON -

Temple Hills Manor, Sharnbrook – The Templar Legacy

In medieval times, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire, was home to four manors, one of which was the Temple Hills Manor, a significant estate held by the Knights Templar from the 12th century.

The manor was originally granted to the Templars by Alice de Clermont, and soon became known as Temple Hills Manor. In 1199, the Templars received a royal charter granting them the right to assart (clear) 200 acres of land in Sharnbrook, and in 1253, they were awarded a charter of free warren, giving them exclusive hunting rights on their lands.

By 1276, the Templar master claimed the view of frankpledge (the right to hold local court) twice a year and held two hides of land in Sharnbrook. Following the dissolution of the Knights Templar in 1307, ownership of Temple Hills passed to the Knights Hospitaller, who formally claimed the manor in 1331.

The legacy of the Templars in Sharnbrook endured. On the 1886 Ordnance Survey map, the lands were still marked as Temple Hills (also known as Temple Spinney), and the site of a messuage (a dwelling with outbuildings and land) once held by the Templars remained part of the historical landscape.

HARROLD -

The History of Swanton Manor and the Knights Templar in Harrold, Bedfordshire

In the medieval period, the village of Harrold, Bedfordshire, was home to four recorded manors. One of these was Swanton Manor, which became closely associated with the Knights Templar during the 13th century.

In 1240, Flandrina Maudit and her husband Ralph de Carun gifted Swanton Manor to Robert de Sandford, the Master of the English Templars. The original grant included 150 acres of land and a sixth share of a mill. By 1244, tensions arose when Ralph Morin, the lord of nearby Harrold Manor, trespassed on common land. Despite his initial defiance, Morin later acknowledged the Templars' rightful claim to summer pasture for 460 sheep, 35 cattle, and 40 pigs. This would not be the last conflict between the Morins and the Templars.

By 1253, the Templars had expanded their holdings to 200 acres of land, 2 acres of meadow, and 3 virgates (a medieval land measure), along with four cottagers who served as villeins. Over time, the Templars consolidated their lands with those of Harrold Manor (Harrold Park).

Further disputes followed. In 1272, Ralph Morin’s grandson and his son John Morin were accused of unlawfully seizing goods from Hugh Gobion and his wife Maud, who were tenants of the Knights Templar at a property known as "le Kue" in Harrold. Before 1278, the Morins eventually transferred Harrold Manor to John de Grey, with the Templars continuing to hold it under his lordship until their dissolution.

By 1324, following the suppression of the Templars, John de Grey retained the manor, which by then included a mansion house, gardens, 260 acres of land, six tenants, five tenants at will, nine bondmen, and eleven cottagers, generating over £16 per annum in value.

In 1346, records show that the manor was transferred to the Knights Hospitaller, who were still documented as holding it in 1428 and 1509.

By 1886, Ordnance Survey maps identified the original lands of Swanton Manor as "Temple Spinney", while the former Harrold Park Manor had been significantly reduced in size. The mill, once partly owned by both the Templars and the Hospitallers, is believed to have stood near what is now the village green at the heart of Harrold.

EATON - See Clifton

ICKWELL - Camera

GRITFORD -

PILLINGE -

Pelyng (Pilling) and the Knights Hospitaller in Bedfordshire

The manor of Pilling Rowsberry was centred on Wootton Pillinge, an area that was later transferred to help form the new civil parish of Stewartby. This estate later became known as Pilling Shingay.

The manor first appears in historical records in 1247, when a criminal sought sanctuary in the chapel of the manor, which was under the control of the Knights Hospitaller of Saint John of Jerusalem.

Records from the period detail the assets of the manor:

A watermill, valued at 13 shillings 4 pence
30 acres of woodland, with underwood yielding 10 shillings annually
109 acres of arable land, valued at 6 pence per acre, totaling 54 shillings 6 pence
2½ acres of meadow, valued at 18 pence per acre, totaling 3 shillings 9 pence

The Knights Hospitaller continued to hold the manor until the order in England was dissolved by King Henry VIII (1509–1547). In 1540, the manor was granted by the Crown to Sir Richard Longe.

Today, the site of the manor is located at South Pillinge Farm, Millbrook. While very little of the original manor survives, the earthworks of a motte, which would have surrounded the original manor house, can still be faintly seen, offering a tangible connection to Bedfordshire’s medieval past.

KEMPSTON HARDWICK -

Kempston Hardwick, a small settlement in Bedfordshire, has a rich medieval history closely connected to the Knights Hospitallers, In 1338 the manor comprised a house and garden, a dovecote, a water mill, 370 acres of land, 32 acres of meadow, 8 acres of pasture and pasture for two hundred oxen as well as a wood. Records from the period provide a fascinating snapshot of the economic life of the estate,

Latin excerpt:

"Est Ibidem iinum mesuagium cum garclino; et valet per annum iiij s.
Et unum columbarium quod valet... iij s. iiij d.
Et unum molendinum aquaticum quod valet... xxvj s. viij d.
Et ccclxx. acre terre, pretium acre iiij d. Summa vj li. iij s. iiij d.
Et xxij. acre prati, pretium acre ij s. Summa xliiij s.
Item viij. acre pasture, pretium acre xij d. Summa viij s.
Et pastura separalis ad cc. oves, et valet... xx s.
Et unus boscus, unde nil potest levari preter sustentationem domus."

English translation:

"There is a messuage (dwelling) with a garden, valued at 4 shillings per year.
There is a dovecote, valued at 3 shillings 4 pence.
There is a watermill, valued at 26 shillings 8 pence.
There are 370 acres of land, at 4 pence per acre, totaling £6 3s 4d.
There are 22 acres of meadow, at 2 shillings per acre, totaling 44 shillings.
There are 8 acres of pasture, at 12 pence per acre, totaling 8 shillings.
There is separate pasture for 200 sheep, valued at 20 shillings.

And there is a wood, from which nothing can be taken except for the sustenance of the house."

These records reveal the variety of resources managed by the Hospitallers, including arable land, meadows, pastures, a watermill, and woodland, alongside smaller structures like a dovecote. Each element was carefully valued, reflecting its contribution to the estate’s income and the order’s economic network.

Kempston Hardwick serves as a vivid example of how medieval religious orders managed rural estates, balancing agricultural production, resource management, and local obligations. Today, the legacy of the Knights Hospitallers is still traceable in place names and historical documents that shed light on Bedfordshire’s medieval landscape.

Today the village of Kempston Hardwick is small village, however is designated to be the site of a new Theme Park run by Universal Pictures in the UK.

ICKWELL - (See Bedfordshire)

KNIGHT HOSPITALLER FIGURES AT BEDFORDSHIRE

THE KNIGHTS HOSPITALLERS

IN BEDFORDSHIRE

COMMANDERY OF HARDWICK - (Kempston Hardwick)