THE KNIGHTS HOSPITALLERS

IN BERKSHIRE

GREENHAM -
The Knights Hospitallers of Greenham: A Hidden Chapter in Berkshire's Medieval Past

Tucked away in the historic landscape of Berkshire lies a forgotten chapter of medieval history — the story of the Knights Hospitallers at Greenham Manor. From around 1180 until the order’s dissolution in 1540, Greenham was under the stewardship of this influential military and religious order.

Greenham Manor was granted to the Knights Hospitaller by Matilda, Countess of Clare, during the reign of King Henry II. It was strategically located in the northern part of Greenham tithing, then within the parish of Thatcham — now part of modern-day Newbury. The site of their preceptory (a local administrative and religious house of the order) is believed to have stood near the wharf, close to the old Newbury Castle.

By 1337, the Greenham commandery had expanded its reach, absorbing the neighbouring manor of Brimpton. The estate boasted substantial holdings: 360 acres of arable farmland and 200 acres of pasture. By the late 12th century, the Hospitallers had also acquired properties within Newbury itself. Historical records describe the preceptory as being situated “at the foregate of the castle” — a clear indication of its prominence at the time.

The 1338 Report of Philip de Thame to the Grand master records the following about the manor of Greenham

“Est ibidem unum manerium edificatum cum gardino, quod valet x s.”

There is one manor house with a garden, worth 10 shillings.

“Item unum columbarium, et valet per annum vs.”

One dovecote, worth 5 shillings/year.

“Item ccclx. acre terrse…”

360 acres of land, subdivided:
- 200 acres valued at 100 shillings, 6 pence per acre.
- 100 acres worth 33s 4d per year, 4d per acre.
- 60 acres worth 15s per year, 3d per acre.
Total: £7 8s 3d.

Pasture:

100 acres worth 36s 6d (4d per acre).
Another 100 acres worth 25s (3d per acre).
Total: 61s 6d (or £3 1s 6d).

Woodland: Nil beyond household use.

Assize rents (redditu assiso):

£11 11s theoretically, but currently only £10 5s can be collected due to poverty and coin shortages.

Labor services (diversa opera): - Formerly worth 22s per year, now 16s 8d.

Rents from villeins (redditu forineco): 4 marks/year.

Pensions from other churches (Spene (see below), Hildeslee (Isley See Below), Wollauynton (Woolhampton See Below) , Ofton (Ufton See Below), Wawesyng, Catmere): £4 5s 8d/year.

Cereal rents (redditu cere): 4½ pounds, worth 2s 3d.

Poultry (gallorum et gallinarum): 12 chickens, worth 2s; eggs (4/year) worth 4d.

Court fees (perquisita curiarum): 6s 8d/year.

Collections from churches (Confraria): formerly 27 marks/year, now only £10 due to kingdom-wide poverty and levies for the King’s maritime defense and other exactions.

Though the foundation was officially dissolved in 1540 during the Reformation, it briefly returned to use in 1557 before being permanently abolished under Queen Elizabeth I.

Today, few visible traces of the commandery remain. However, a medieval stone wall — once standing two metres high and believed to be part of the original boundary — was recorded east of a local car park before being removed during the construction of the town’s ring road.

Modern-day Newbury has since absorbed the lands once occupied by the Knights Hospitallers. Yet, beneath its streets and structures lies the legacy of a once-powerful order, quietly woven into the fabric of the town’s history.

SHALFORD / BRIMPTON

dependent member of the Greenham preceptory

Nestled in the quiet landscape of Berkshire lies the little-known site of Shalford Preceptory, once home to two of the most renowned medieval military orders: the Knights Templar and later, the Knights Hospitaller.

Founded around 1198, the original preceptory at Shalford began as a Templar establishment, likely granted by Simon de Ovile. After the suppression of the Templars in the early 14th century, the site passed into the hands of the Knights Hospitaller. By 1338, Shalford had been absorbed into the larger preceptory at Greenham in Berkshire, marking the end of its brief but intriguing independence.

The 1338 Report of Brother Philip de Thame to the Grand Master states the following about Shalford:

Est ibidem unum mesuagium debiliter edificatum, cum gardino, et valent per annum xvj s.”

There is one dwelling house weakly built, with a garden, worth 16 shillings per year.

“Sunt ibidem xv. acre prati, unde v. acre, et valent per annum x s.; et x. acre, pretium acre xviij d., et valent per annum xv s.”

15 acres of meadow: 5 acres worth 10 shillings/year, 10 acres at 18 pence/acre, worth 15 shillings/year.

“Item de terra arabili ibidem ccclx. acre, pretium acre xij d., et valent xviij li.”

360 acres of arable land at 12 pence/acre, worth £18 per year.

“Item ibidem de redditu assiso, per annum . . . x li. ij s. viij d.”

From assessed rents, £10 2s 8d per year.

“Item unum molendinum aquaticunx, et valet per annum . xxx s.”

One water mill, worth 30 shillings per year. (Location TBC)

“Item ecclesia de Brompton in proprios usus, que valet per annum Ixs.”

The church of Brompton for the preceptory’s own use, worth 1 shilling per year.

“Item ibidem de pastura xl. acre, pretium acre vij d. ob., et valent xxv s.”

40 acres of pasture at 7½ pence per acre, worth 25 shillings/year.

“Item de bosco nil ultra sustentationem domus.”

Woodland provides nothing beyond household needs.

“Item ibidem xv. galline de redditu, et valent . . . ij s. vj d.”

15 hens producing revenue, worth 2s 6d.

“Item xlviij. opera autumnalia, pretium operis ij d., et valent viij s.”

48 autumnal works (likely labor days), 2 pence each, worth 8 shillings.

“Item ibidem unum columbarium, et valet per annum vj s. viij d.”

One dovecote, worth 6s 8d per year.

“Summa totalis recepti et proficui dicte Bajulie de Grenham cxv. marce et iij d.”

Total annual income and profit of the bailiwick of Greenham: 115 marks and 3 pence

The most significant remnant of this once-sacred site is the Templar chapel in Brimpton — a rare survivor of its kind. Converted into a barn before 1614, the building still stands at Brimpton manor Farm, and is now protected as a Grade II* listed structure. Despite its later use, the chapel retains fascinating medieval features that hint at its original purpose, probably used only for the Order, due to the very small funds coming from the Church.

Above the Norman doorway, a carved tympanum offers a glimpse into the site's Templar past. The stonework features a cross associated with the order, along with overlapping fish scale motifs — a possible symbolic reference with both religious and heraldic meaning. These subtle yet powerful details preserve the spiritual and historical legacy of the warrior-monks who once served here.

The total revenue emphasizes that Greenham preceptory had substantial economic resources, even though some items (like woodland) were minimal contributors.

spiritually.

BISHAM

CATMORE

EAST ILSLEY - Church of St Mary, East Ilsley

In 1199, the advowson (the right to appoint the parish priest) of the Church of St Mary in East Ilsley was officially confirmed to the Knights Hospitallers — a significant moment in the history of this Berkshire village.

To understand how this came about, we need to look further back. At the time of the Domesday Survey in 1086, several landholdings were recorded in East and West Ilsley. One was held by a man named Stephen, under William fitzAnsculf, and previously by Baldwin in the reign of Edward the Confessor. This estate was assessed at 6½ hides.

Another substantial holding — covering both East and West Ilsley — was under the overlordship of Geoffrey de Mandeville. It consisted of two manors held by Saswalo (also known as Sewall de Osevill), and before the Norman Conquest, these lands had belonged to a Saxon noble named Ordwulf. Together, they were assessed at 11 hides.

Elsewhere in East Ilsley, lands were held by Henry de Ferrers, and by a man named Roger under him, accounting for 3½ hides. Before the Conquest, this land had been held by Algar. The largest holding in the area — 20 hides — was under Aubrey de Coucy and formed part of the Bishop of Salisbury’s manor at Sonning, though the associated church was actually in Wallingford.

The manor relevant to the Knights Hospitallers' story is the one held by Saswalo from Geoffrey de Mandeville. His family retained possession for several generations, and in 1199, the church associated with this estate — St Mary’s in East Ilsley — was formally granted to the Hospitallers.

This grant strengthened the Hospitallers’ influence in the region, adding to their expanding network of religious and administrative holdings across England. The connection with East Ilsley is a reminder of how deeply entwined medieval religious orders were with the political and landowning structures of the time.

SPEEN -

Sacred Ground and Sacred Order: The Knights Hospitallers at Speen

In the heart of Berkshire lies the ancient village of Speen, home to the Church of St Mary the Virgin — a site with deep spiritual roots and a fascinating connection to two of the most powerful religious orders of the medieval world.

Before 1219, the advowson (the right to appoint the parish priest) of St Mary’s Church was granted to the Knights Templar by William Marshal the Elder, Earl of Pembroke — one of the most influential nobles of his time. Following the dissolution of the Templars in 1312, the advowson passed to their successor order, the Knights Hospitaller, who held it until 1388.

This would have been a prized holding for both orders, not only due to the church's prominence but also because of its proximity to a revered holy spring known as the Lady Well (or Ladywell). This sacred spring, like many across medieval Christendom, was believed to possess healing properties — particularly for ailments of the eyes and other physical afflictions. Tradition holds that its waters flowed from an enlarged natural spring, sanctified over centuries by local devotion and pilgrimage.

The presence of such a well near the church likely enhanced its religious significance and may have attracted both pilgrims and patrons. For the Templars and later the Hospitallers — orders rooted in both martial duty and spiritual care — sites like Speen were more than just landholdings; they were centers of healing, worship, and influence.

Today, the story of the Lady Well and the church’s connection to these knightly orders adds a rich layer to the historical fabric of Berkshire, echoing a time when faith, legend, and land were deeply intertwined.