THE KNIGHTS HOSPITALLERS
IN ESSEX
CRESSING TEMPLE -
The preceptory at Cressing was the first recorded property of the Knights Templar outside of London, granted by Queen Matilda in 1136—a testament to its early importance within the order. Not long after, in 1147–48, King Stephen gifted the nearby land at Witham, further strengthening the Templars’ presence in Essex. The Preceptory was handed to the Knights Hospitallers after 1312, & in 1337 possessed more than 1400 Acres of Land.
Today, Cressing Temple is home to two of the finest surviving examples of Templar architecture in the UK: the Barley and Wheat Barns. These impressive structures, originally used for storing grain, remain open to visitors. Although the original chapel at the preceptory no longer stands above ground, its foundations have been discovered just south of the gardens. As with many Templar chapels, it is slightly misaligned from the traditional east–west orientation. The Templars also held the advowson (the right to appoint clergy) of the local parish church, All Saints in Cressing.
LITTLE MAPLESTEAD -
The village and church of Little Maplestead were granted to the Knights Hospitallers in 1185 by Juliana Fitz-Audelin. The commandery’s holdings were substantial, covering around 500 acres of land across the Maplesteads, Gestingthorpe, Hedingham, and Colchester. By 1463, the commandery appears to have become redundant, as the estate was leased out. The flint church at Little Maplestead stands today as one of the finest surviving examples of a round church built by the Templars and later used by the Hospitallers—one of only four still remaining in the UK. The current structure, built in 1337, stands on the site of an earlier church dating back to 1241. The former commandery is believed to have been located near the present-day Maplestead Hall, though no visible remains of its buildings exist above ground today.
Little Maplestead Round Church
Inside of the Round Chapel
TEMPLE ROYDON
WEST THURROCK -
Very little remains of the original manor and the Knights Hospitallers' presence at West Thurrock, as the site is now largely occupied by the Procter & Gamble factory. However, the Church of St Clement still survives, tucked away beneath the vast industrial complex. Originally associated with the Knights Templar before passing to the Hospitallers, the church retains architectural evidence of a former circular nave—reminiscent of the layout seen at Garway in Herefordshire, another known Templar site. Today, St Clement's Church is open to visitors on the first weekend of each month, offering a rare glimpse into this hidden piece of medieval history.
West Thurrock Church St Clements
STEBBING
