The
Knights Templar were a religious and military group, often described as
warrior monks, originally formed in about 1118 to to protect pilgrims
to Jerusalem and the Holy Land. At first they called themselves "The
poor fellow soldiers of Jesus Christ" but in recognition of their
service to Jerusalem they were given a former mosque known as The
Temple of Solomon and hence acquired the name - Knights of the Temple
of Solomon. They quickly assumed an important role in the Crusades and
the freeing of Palestine.
The Templars enjoyed royal patronage and became a wealthy and
influential pan-European, but secretive, organisation. Within fifty
years the Order owned some 7000 manors in Europe and had acquired vast
financial resources. They were prominent in farming, accepted valuables
for safe deposit or transit and even maintained a fleet of ships for
commerce and to provision their forces in Palestine. The principal
centre of the Templars in England was The Temple at Holborn but any
place name containing the word "Temple" had Templar associations. There
were at least five main classes of brothers within the Order from the
highest noble knights to labourers and artisans. All served The Grand
Master but were attached locally to a province in the charge of a Grand
Preceptor or Grand Prior. There were many local Templar connections,
churches in Whittlesford and Cambridge and properties in Baldock,
Shingay, Temple Cressing in Essex and elsewhere, as well as
unidentified property in Royston. The Templars connection to the tale
of the search for the Holy Grail is well documented.
By the end of the 13th century the Templars had fallen into disrepute and were accused of heresy
leading to their persecution. It is also possible that the Church and Kings throughout Europe wished
to lay claim to Templar lands and wealth. In France fifteen thousand members of the order were
imprisoned in 1307 and many were subsequently executed by burning. A number of Templars were
held in the Chateaux de Chinon in the Loire valley where in the dungeons they carved signs similar to
some seen in the Royston Cave. The persecution followed quickly throughout Europe but delays by
Edward II in England allowed many Templars to escape to Scotland or possibly go underground. The
order was finally suppressed by Pope Clement V in 1312. It is believed that some of the Templar
rituals survive in Freemasonry.
ROYSTON CAVE
The
Knights Templar were a religious and military group, often described as
warrior monks, originally formed in about 1118 to to protect pilgrims
to Jerusalem and the Holy Land. At first they called themselves "The
poor fellow soldiers of Jesus Christ" but in recognition of their
service to Jerusalem they were given a former mosque known as The
Temple of Solomon and hence acquired the name - Knights of the Temple
of Solomon. They quickly assumed an important role in the Crusades and
the freeing of Palestine.
The Templars enjoyed royal patronage and became a wealthy and
influential pan-European, but secretive, organisation. Within fifty
years the Order owned some 7000 manors in Europe and had acquired vast
financial resources. They were prominent in farming, accepted valuables
for safe deposit or transit and even maintained a fleet of ships for
commerce and to provision their forces in Palestine. The principal
centre of the Templars in England was The Temple at Holborn but any
place name containing the word "Temple" had Templar associations. There
were at least five main classes of brothers within the Order from the
highest noble knights to labourers and artisans. All served The Grand
Master but were attached locally to a province in the charge of a Grand
Preceptor or Grand Prior. There were many local Templar connections,
churches in Whittlesford and Cambridge and properties in Baldock,
Shingay, Temple Cressing in Essex and elsewhere, as well as
unidentified property in Royston. The Templars connection to the tale
of the search for the Holy Grail is well documented.