Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Preceptory of the Knights Templar, which may have originated during the late Saxon period but founded circa 1185. Suppressed in 1312 when the estate passed to the Hospitallers and dissolved in 1540. The buildings were demolished during the 18th century.

Monument Types

• TEMPLARS PRECEPTORY (TEMPLARS PRECEPTORY, Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon to Post Medieval - 870 AD to 1732 AD)
• BUILDING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• HOSPITALLERS CAMERA (SETTLEMENT, Medieval - 1312 AD to 1539 AD)

Full description

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A Preceptory of the Knights Templars was established in Temple Ewell sometime before 1185, after moving from Dover (see TR 34 SW 31). Little is known of its history; after the suppression the manor of Ewell was granted to the Hospitallers, and after the dissolution it formed part of the Preceptory of Swingfield (see TR 24 SW 1). Excavations in 1964-5-6 by the Duke of York's Royal Military School Archaeological Society revealed substantial remains of medieval buildings identified as probably the Knights Templars establishment referred to in Hasted as having been destroyed in the early 18th century. In area of 100ft by 150ft lie 7 rooms, including a small chapel 15ft square. The whole being of at least three periods of construction, dating from the last quarter of the 12th century to the second quarter of the 16th. (1-5)

Excavations visited by FI in 1964 and sited TR 2856 4567. (6)

(TR 2856 4567) Preceptory of the Knights Templar, Temple Ewell (ruins), near Dover. (The estate at Ewell possibly had a late Saxon or early Norman origin). Sometime before the death of Henry II in 1164 his brother William and William de Peverell, Constable of Dover Castle gave the estate at Ewell to the Knights Templar. In 1185 the Templars listed it among their possessions in Kent as being a Preceptory, with an estate in excess of 300 acres and valued at slightly under £12 per annum. In 1213 King John lodged at Ewell Preceptory. In 1312 the manors and estates of the order were handed over to the master and brethren of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem by Walter the Archbishop of Canterbury, in whose hands it remained until the dissolution in 1535. Its history since 1552 is obscure although one of the buildings discovered during the exacavations did have a slate roof which may be of a post medieval date. In 1984 Mr K. Parfitt reported that further work had been carried out by the Dover Archaeological Group at the site of the Preceptory of the Knights Templar, Temple Ewell. The site had remained open since Mr A.C Hogarth carried out excavations between 1964 and 1966. Between October 1982 and April 1983 the Dover Archaeological Group re-examined the overgrown walls and calculated that there were six building phases and not three as the original excavator had postulated (see illustration card no 1). The earliest surviving building appeared to be a chapel and not a 12th century hall. In August 1983 an excavator was hired to backfill the excavations courtesy of the Kent Archaeological Trust. Mr Hogarth moved to America in 1973 leaving some of the finds in Dover Town Museum. Very little pottery was recovered, though a lead seal was found (see illustration card no. 2). It is hoped that a full account of the excavations will be published in due course. (7-10)

Report on the work in progress in 1965. (11)

Brief notes on the excavations. (12)

Notes on the excavations and finds. (13,14)

Description from record TR 24 NE 36:
TR 284455 A Medieval site at Temple Farm, Temple Ewell was excavated by the Duke of York's R.M. School Archaeological Society. The excavation revealed parts of walls of a substantial building, constructed in flint with stone reinforcement at the corners, and with chalk masonry in the internal corners. The interior surfaces were plastered, and window mouldings, with lead window- lights were also found, though the balk of workable store had been robbed. Pottery dates the site from the late 12th to the 14th century. Small finds include the normal medieval tiles, iron objects of unknown purpose, and one, ten and a quarter beam scale arm. (The building maybe associated with the Preceptory of the Knights Templars near by). See also TR 24 NE 18. (18)

<2> Medieval Rel Houses Eng and Wales 1971, 292, 295 (D Knowles, R N Hadcock) (OS Card Reference). SKE46863.

<3> Archaeol Cant 79, 1964, liv-lv (E H Bayley) (OS Card Reference). SKE37242.

<4> Archaeol Cant 81, 1966, lxiii-lxv (A C Hogarth) (OS Card Reference). SKE37248.

<5> Kent Archaeol Review 36, Summer 1974, 186-191, plan (F L Page) (OS Card Reference). SKE45897.

<6> F1 FGA 07-JUL-64 (OS Card Reference). SKE42900.

<7> Archaeol Cant 99, 1983, 290-91 (K Parfitt) (OS Card Reference). SKE37254.

<8> KAR 75, 1984 III, illus, (K Parfitt) (OS Card Reference). SKE45425.

<9> Archaeol Cant 22, 1897, 247-49 (J F Wadmore) (OS Card Reference). SKE37214.

<10> Medieval Archaeol 10, 1966, 180 (D M Wilson, D G Hurst) (OS Card Reference). SKE46835.

<11> Archaeol Cant 80, 1965, L-Li (A C Hogarth) (OS Card Reference). SKE37246.

<12> Medieval Archaeol 12, 1968, 168-68 (D M Wilson, D G Hurst) (OS Card Reference). SKE46836.

<13> Archaeol Cant 81, 1966, lxiii-lxv ( A C Hogarth) (OS Card Reference). SKE37247.

<14> Archaeol Cant 79, 1964, liv-lv (E H Bayly) (OS Card Reference). SKE37243.

<15> Field report for monument TR 24 NE 18 - July, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5659.

<15> VCH KENT 2 1926 175 (OS Card Reference). SKE50956.

<17> Hogarth, A. C., 1965, Temple Ewell, Pages 5-6 (Article in serial). SKE8114.

<18> KAR 1 1965 5-6 (AC Hogarth) (OS Card Reference). SKE45235.

Sources and further reading