CRESSING TEMPLE

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Site of the earliest English Knights Templars settlement, donated by Maud in 1136. Settlement dissolved 1308-12 becoming a preceptory of the Knights Hospitallers, plundered in a peasant's uprising of 1381. It became a private farm 1515. The chapel functioned until after 1626. Excavations by J.H. Hope between 1978-81 identified three main structures coinciding with the establishment of the Preceptory: a chapel, a possible hall and an oven. Several inhumations from the cemetery were also excavated.

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(TL 799186) Cressing Temple (NR) (Site of) (NAT)
Chapel (NR) (Site of) (NAT) (1)

The house of Knights Templars at Cressing was donated by Maud (queen of Stephen) in 1136. It was the earliest English settlement of Knights Templars. By about 1250 it was united with Witham. Dissolved in 1308-12 and became the Knights Hospitallers. The house was under a "lieutenant" in 1375 and under a warden in 1381 when it was plundered during the peasant's revolt. Its dissolution was before 1381. Their chapel survived the dissolution and was still extant in 1626. All that now remains are two barns (see TL 71 NE 49, 50).(2-4)

The recognisable extant remains of the Templars establishment are confined to the barns, although the present occupiers of the house at TL 79921872 stated that it dates from circa 1300 at its north east gable. There a little old timbering is exposed high up, but generally the house is later (see TL 71 NE 51). (5)

Excavations by J.H. Hope between 1978-81 identified three main structures coinciding with the establishment of the Preceptory: a chapel, a possible hall and an oven.

Only the gravel footings of the chapel remain to a maximum depth of 28cm. Forty seven inhumations were associated with the chapel. In the late 15th - early 16th century the east wall was rebuilt in red brick, the original wall subsided due to its construction over an earlier cemetery (see TL 71 NE 53).

A second large masonry structure, possibly a hall was excavated. This structure was extended in the 14th century. Between the chapel and the 'hall' was a large food oven packed with 12th century shell-tempered pottery, oyster shell and animal bone (mainly pig bone). The only other structures associated with this period are the still-standing barley and wheat barns. (6)

TL 799187 Cressing Temple scheduled 211. (7)

Additional references. (8,11)

Record restructured. (12)

The site is now open to the public: see the Cressing Temple website for overviews of the history and archaeology of the site, detailed information on the individual buildings, visiting times and events. (13)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" 1960

(2) by David Knowles and R Neville Hadcock 1971 Medieval religious houses in England and Wales

1971 edition Page(s)292-,300-3

(3) The buildings of England

Essex 1954 (N Pevsner) Page(s)153

(4) Essex Archaeological Society transactions

1923 (RC Fowler) 16 Page(s)110

(5) Field Investigators Comments

F1 BHS 06-MAY-76

(6) Essex Archaeological and Historical Congress Essex journal: a review of archaeology and local history

1986 (JH Hope) 22.3 Page(s)67-71

(7) Scheduled Monument Notification

English Heritage SAMs Essex 1987 Page(s)4

(8) General reference

Essex Archaeology Society Newsletter 1980 71 Page(s)15-16

(9) Medieval archaeology : journal of the Society for Medieval Archaeology

1981 (SM Youngs & J Clark) 25 Page(s)188

(10) Essex Archaeological and Historical Congress Essex journal: a review of archaeology and local history

1986 (JH Hope) 21.2 Page(s)31-34

(11) Council for British Archaeology CBA research reports

DG Buckley, Archaeology in Essex to AD 1500 34 Page(s)120

(12) Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments

(13) World Wide Web page

Essex County Council. 2008. Cressing Temple. http://www.cressingtemple.org.uk/ [Accessed 04-MAR-2009].

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