More information : A Preceptory of Knights Templars was established at Rockley or Temple Rockley (1) in 1155-6 AD and suppressed in 1308-12 (2), the property then passing to the Knights Hospitallers of St John of Jerusalem (1). They maintained a chaplain and a bailiff here, but not a preceptor (2). The dissolution of the Hospitallers had taken place by 1541 (3).
Jackson (1) suggests that the Templars may have had a chapel, which is likely to have been at or near the place now called Temple Farm (SU 137727). This name is recorded as Templerookley (4) in 1591. (Place-names in the area SU 138727 - 'Temple Bottom', 'Temple Farm', 'Temple Bottom Barn', 'Temple Cover','Templar's
Bath' - strongly suggest that both Preceptory and Chapel were in that area). (1-4) |