We are visiting Cressing Temple, the Medieval Manor and Barns of the Knights Templar. Those that have read the book
The Da Vinci Code will remember that the Templars were featured throughout the book.
Cressing Temple was granted to the Knights Templar - the mysterious warrior monks - by Queen Matilda in 1137.Cressing was the Knights' first grant of rural land in England and they farmed its 2000 acres until 1312, when their lands passed to the Knights Hospitaller.
The Granary dates from 1623
To establish the settlement in the 12th century, the Knights built a stone-lined well, perfectly preserved to this day.
The two vast barns , built in the early 1200s, are masterpieces of carpentry. Vast timbers give the barns an awe-inspiring cathedral-like quality.
An exhibition in the Wheat barn explains the incredible skills required to build the barns, which are amongst the best preserved examples of their age.
The Templar Knight stands outside a chapel where a man is being received into the Order. The man is interrogated about his past life, and then kneeling and holding the Bible takes a vow of poverty, chastity and obedience. Rumours about the rites performed at Templar initiation ceremonies figured amongst the charges against the Templars at the time of their supress in 1312.
The usual herb garden and carp pond
21 comments:
Oh, what tales those beams could tell. This is really old history. (relatively speaking)
Thanks for the visit,
Lorrie
Amazing post, so fascinating. I adore any aspect of history.
I do hope you are somewhat recovered from your dental ordeal? .....and all your visitors and birthday celebrations...?
You sound to have been amazingly busy.
The leaves in the post below were a delight.
word verification:
painsh
did they pick u on the dentist bit?
I to wish you recovery from dental work. I to sit long hours there today.Thanks for the wonderful tour love the history.
Patsy
Very interesting! The ceiling timbers look very similar to the ceiling in the castle in Edinburgh - as though they were building a ship, upside down.
I enjoyed the wood burning oven too. So much has advanced since then and yet, so much remains the same.
So very interesting! What history! I'm off to google Knights Templar...
There's something amazing when you see something like this that dates back 800+ years. It must be nice to be so near so many interesting sites.
It absolutely amazes me that these built so long ago can stand the test of time and still stand today! Thank you so much for this visit. I'm such a fan of historic architecture and preservation, so this was such a fascinating post for me!
Blessings,
Paula
I love your tours with the interesting history bio's. The England of old is so fascinating.
Wow, that is well preserved. I always am surprised when wood lasts that long. Impressive place.
What an amazing bit of history! I love the pictures, and the structures are breathtaking.
Have a beautiful weekend in your lovely country!
Blessings,
Andrea
What an incredible place to visit! Think of the history involved there. Thanks so much for taking us along. I enjoyed every part of it. ~Adrienne~
Barbara
You have taught me more than any British History Class I have ever taken. The pictures are breathtaking and the bulidings are unreal--how can a building withstand over 700 years of weather and still look like it was built a few years ago?
I think you need to write a book on British History!! :)
Best
Tracy :)
What a wonderful tour of that era of history. I love it. Those place last forever it seems. Made of good stuff. Thanks for your visit to my blog. November is a busy month. I have lots of work to do for Christmas gifts. Blessings
QMM
You visit such lovely places, Barbara. Thank you for sharing the pictures - it is so interesting to see them.
Pomona x
Barbara, thank you so much for taking the time to put this all together and share it with us. How amazing to be able to reach out and touch that history. Knights are merely storybook figures here. You've made them seem so real.
That is really fascinating. Here in the states we do not have things that old so it is always interesting to read about different places. I would love to visit places such as those that you have shown. The old saying if walls could talk, now that would really tell us something!
Amazing. I so enjoyed reading this and seeing the photographs. Such fascinating history.
Hello Barbara, I'm so glad I found your blog again. I know I was here ages ago, but seem to have lost track of it. I've never been to England, but your blog makes me wish I could make the trip. Thanks for the tour through historical places, I do enjoy traipsing back through time.
Barbara,
Such interesting pictures and to think how long those timbers and structures have stood the test of time.
Thank you for the good wishes...I am feeling much better.
Blessings to you and yours...Betty
Have just found you through surfing; what a fun place to visit! I shall be back for more.
Many blessings to you,
Blondie
Oh Barbara Do ger the movie SOMEWHERE IN TIME.. you will love it.
great history lesson..
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