HOUSE OF KNIGHTS TEMPLARS
24. THE PRECEPTORY OF EWELL
In the inquisition (fn. 1) taken in 1185 on the lands
of the Templars William the king's brother and
William de Peverelle are said to have granted to
them lands in Ewell, and Henry of Essex the
new mills of Ewell. A preceptory was certainly
established here, although nothing is known of
its history; for in 1309, when the inquiry was
made into the charges brought against the
Templars, Ralph de Malton was described as
preceptor at Ewell, and Robert de Sautre as
brother at Ewell. (fn. 2) After their suppression the
manor of Ewell was granted to the Hospitallers,
and in 1338 appears as demised to Hamo Godchep and his wife for life. (fn. 3) At the Dissolution it
formed part of the preceptory of Swingfield.
The manors of Dartford and Strood also
belonged to the Templars, but it is doubtful
whether preceptories were ever established there.
Footnotes
| 1 |
Misc. Bks. Exch. K.R. 16; partly printed in
Dugdale, Mon. vii, 821. |
| 2 |
Wilkins, Concilia, ii, 346. |
| 3 |
Larking, The Knights Hospitallers in Engl. (Camd.
Soc.), 173. |