CRESSING TEMPLE

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A Tudor period and later post-medieval farm on the site of a Knights Templars settlement, including a 16th century farmhouse and 18th, 19th and 20th century agricultural buildings and ancilliary buildings. The present farmhouserepresents the remains of a "greate house" or Tudor mansion, which also had a walled garden. The garden has been recreated and the surviing buildings are open to the public.

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(TL 799186) Cressing Temple (NR) (1)

The house of Knights Templars at Cressing was donated by Maud (queen of Stephen) in 1136 (see TL 71 NE 19). It became the Knights Hospitallers in 1312 and was dissolved before 1381. All that now remains are two barns (see TL 71 NE 49,50).

The farm was leased to a private owner in 1515 and the present building is of about 1600, very considerably altered. Grade 1 (for its position and historical importance). There are fragmentary remains of a moat around the site. (2-5)

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, progressing to the southwest front which is 18th century. It is not outstanding, see photograph.

The 'Moat' features ranged to the east and west could not, owing to their different levels have been a continuous feature, but seem to have been part of a chain of ponds forming a perimeter, possibly including a pond beyond the modern road at TL 79831863.

No trace of a boundary feature could be identified to the north.

A barn-like building stands at TL 79921863. This is known as the 'Old Court Room' and is dated 1623. Also timber framed, it at present houses a private museum. See photograph.

Published 1:2500 survey correct. (6)

Excavations by JH Hope between 1978-81 established the presence of a multi-period site at Cressing Temple. The Tudor period is represented by the cellar of the 'Great House', a walled garden, part of a brick-built drainage system, a chain of fish ponds with brick revetments and a court house.

In the Tudor-Jacobean period the cellar was refloored along with other alterations. In the mid 17th century the whole of the longer wing of the 'Great House' was demolished and only the shorter wing (the existing farmhouse), the walled garden and court house were retained. In the late 17th century the whole of the estate south of the walled garden was rigorously landscaped. (7)

Cressing Temple Farmhouse is late 16th century altered in the 18th and 19th centuries. Timber framed, plastered and roughcast, roofed with handmade red tiles. Main range facing SE, crosswing at left end forming a T-plan. Oak panelling of c1600. Bread oven at NE end may be a surviving part of the 'Great House' described in records of 1623 and 1669. Listed Grade II.

Wall enclosing garden, 17th century altered in 18th and 19th centuries. Red brick in English and irregular bond. Included for group value and listed Grade II.

Granary or stables block, converted to court house, late 16th century. Timber framed, plastered and weatherboarded with some exposed imitation framing and 19th century brick nogging. 10 bays aligned NE-SW, 2 storeys. This is the largest granary in Essex, indicating the great productivity of the Cressing Temple estate. Dendrochronological examination of one core indicates construction 'after 1575'. (8)

Cressing Temple, house, outbuilding, barns and moat. There are traces of foundation mounds in the area enclosed by the farm buildings. The moat is fragmentary. Condition of all buildings is good. (9)

Cressing Temple scheduled - Essex 211. (10)

A group of historic buildings at Cressing Temple are being brought into public ownership by Essex County Council. (11)

Additional References (12-14)

This record was originally part of TL 71 NE 19. (15)

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 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-1976

(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) List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest

DOE (HHR) District of Braintree, 1988 Page(s)40-42

(8) Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England) 1922 An inventory of the historical monuments in Essex. Volume III [north-east]

Page(s)79

(9) General reference

English Heritage SAMs Essex 1987 Page(s)4

(10) Essex Archaeology and History News

1987 Page(s)22

(11) General reference

CA Hewett, The Development of Carpentry 1200-1700; an Essex study, Page(s)158,184...

(12) Vernacular Architecture Group Vernacular architecture

1985 (Fletcher et al) 16 Page(s)41

(13) General reference

Essex Archaeology Society Newsletter 1979 66 Page(s)9-11

(14) General reference

KMF 15-JUN-1995 RCHME Recording

(15) World Wide Web page

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

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