THE TEMPLARS
IN BERKSHIRE
The Knights Templar in Berkshire
Where the River Thames founded a boundary between the counties of Buckinghamshire and Berkshire, The Knights Templar founded a Preceptory on the Buckinghamshire side, the Preceptory of Bisham. ideal for farming, and its proximity to London, Bisham was to become an important preceptory, playing host to the general chapter. it is from here to the Templars Managed other properties in the area, such as Inkpen, Kintbury andd Sparsholt as described below
BISHAM
TEMPLE LOCK & WEIR
TEMPLE PARK
KINTBURY
INKPEN -
Inkpen and the Knights Templar: The Legacy of Sir Roger de Ingpen
Inkpen, a quiet Berkshire village today, once held deep ties to the legendary Knights Templar and the era of the Crusades. According to the Domesday Book, Inkpen originally comprised two manors — Eastcourt and Westcourt. The historic heart of the Westcourt manor is represented by the manor house that still stands near the Church of St Michael.
Local tradition holds that Westcourt was originally granted by King Canute III to a man named Roger, whose descendants included Sir Roger de Ingpen — a knight of the Templar order and a veteran of the Crusades. Sir Roger is believed to have founded the Church of St Michael around 1220, leaving behind a lasting spiritual and architectural legacy.
Inside the church are two remarkable tomb covers thought to commemorate Templar knights. One, in particular, is believed to be that of Sir Roger himself. The stone effigy depicts a knight in full chain mail, with crossed legs — a traditional symbol in medieval tomb sculpture, often interpreted to represent a knight who had fought in the Holy Land. He wears a surcoat reaching his knees, grasps the hilt of his sword, and bears a three-cornered shield on his left arm.
Unfortunately, time has not been kind to the effigy. The lower portion has been severely damaged — not just by the centuries, but by human interference. According to local historians, the tomb was once thrown into a nearby farmyard in the early 18th century by a later lord of the manor, who wanted to make room for his own family pew within the church. Though the monument was eventually returned, it suffered considerable damage.
Today, the Church of St Michael and the weathered tombs within it offer a rare and moving glimpse into Inkpen’s medieval past — a past shaped by faith, feudal power, and the enduring legend of the Knights Templar.
TEMPLETON -
Templeton: A Forgotten Templar Site in Berkshire
Templeton, a quiet spot in the Berkshire countryside, was once the location of a small hospice and chapel belonging to the Knights Templar — one of the most powerful and enigmatic orders of the medieval world. This modest yet spiritually significant site later passed to the Knights Hospitaller in 1311, following the suppression of the Templars.
The origins of Templeton can be traced back to a grant made by Roger de Beaumont, Count of Meulan, who gave the Templars three hides of land at Inglewood, within the parish. This land eventually became known as the manor of Templeton (also referred to historically as Templeyngeflod). When the Templar order was dissolved, ownership of the estate reverted to the overlord, although records show that in 1327, Robert Hungerford and his wife Geva were granted life tenancy.
Soon after, the manor was formally transferred to the Knights Hospitaller, who retained it until the wider Dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII. At that point, Templeton became Crown property.
Today, the site is occupied by a modern residence known as Templeton House. But traces of its medieval past still linger. During alterations to the grounds between 1886 and 1895, three human skeletons were uncovered on the slope above what is now the tennis court — almost certainly the burial site of the original Knights' chapel, which once stood in front of the house. These remains were reportedly reinterred at nearby Kintbury churchyard.
Though little remains above ground, Templeton remains a poignant link to the Knights Templar’s presence in Berkshire — a place where devotion, service, and mystery once quietly converged
CLEVER
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.
SPARSHOLT
BRIMPTON -
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 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.
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.
Though time and transformation have taken their toll, Shalford Preceptory remains a quietly powerful reminder of the medieval religious orders that once shaped England’s landscape — both physically and spiritual
WIDMERE END
TEMPLAR FIGURES AT BUCKINGHAMSHIRE
Knights Templar at Buckinghamshire