Rothley Temple

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Rothley Preceptory
Templar Chapel at Rothley Court Hotel - geograph.org.uk - 1639714 (CROPPED).jpg
The Templar Chapel built c.1240; incorporated into a later building
Leicestershire UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location within Leicestershire
Monastery information
Other namesRothley Temple
Order Knights Templar
From 1313: Knights Hospitaller
Establishedc.1231
Disestablished1540
Mother housefrom c.1371: Dalby Preceptory
Site
Location Rothley, Leicestershire
Coordinates 52°42′20″N1°08′52″W / 52.7056°N 1.1478°W / 52.7056; -1.1478 Coordinates: 52°42′20″N1°08′52″W / 52.7056°N 1.1478°W / 52.7056; -1.1478
Visible remainsThe Preceptory's chapel and part of the domestic buildings still remain as part of the Rothley Court Hotel. [1]

Rothley Temple, or more correctly Rothley Preceptory, (pronounced Rowth-Ley) was a preceptory (a religious establishment operated by certain orders of monastic knights) in the village of Rothley, Leicestershire, England, associated with both the Knights Templar and the Knights Hospitaller.

Rothley village in the United Kingdom

Rothley is a village and civil parish within the Borough of Charnwood in Leicestershire, England. Situated around 0.5 miles (0.8 km) west of the River Soar and 5 miles (8.0 km) north of the city of Leicester, it had a population of 3,612 inhabitants according to the 2001 census. The population measured at the 2011 census was 3,897.

Leicestershire County of England

Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. The county borders Nottinghamshire to the north, Lincolnshire to the north-east, Rutland to the east, Northamptonshire to the south-east, Warwickshire to the south-west, Staffordshire to the west, and Derbyshire to the north-west. The border with most of Warwickshire is Watling Street.

Knights Templar Western Christian military order; medieval Catholic military order

The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, also known as the Order of Solomon's Temple, the Knights Templar or simply the Templars, were a Catholic military order founded in 1119 and recognised in 1139 by the papal bull Omne datum optimum. The order was active until 1312 when it was perpetually suppressed by Pope Clement V by the bull Vox in excelso.

Contents

The preceptory's chapel, constructed by the Knights Templar, is currently part of the Rothley Court Hotel.

Rothley Court Grade I listed building in the United Kingdom

Rothley Court is a country house in Leicestershire, England. It was originally mentioned in the Domesday Book, and later associated with the Knights Templar.

History

Foundation

Rothley Preceptory was established around the year 1231; however, records show "The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon" (more commonly known as the Knights Templar) owned land at Rothley as early as the reign of King John (1199–1216). [2] On the establishment of the preceptory King Henry III granted the Knights Templar the manor and church at Rothley. [1] The preceptory would come to own land in 13 neighbouring villages, including granges used for farming at Baggrave (near Hungarton) and Gaddesby. The knights of the preceptory also owned the Manor at Gaddesby.

John, King of England King of England

John was King of England from 1199 until his death in 1216. He lost the Duchy of Normandy and most of his other French lands to King Philip II of France, resulting in the collapse of the Angevin Empire and contributing to the subsequent growth in power of the French Capetian dynasty during the 13th century. The baronial revolt at the end of John's reign led to the sealing of Magna Carta, a document sometimes considered an early step in the evolution of the constitution of the United Kingdom.

Henry III of England King of England

Henry III, also known as Henry of Winchester, was King of England, Lord of Ireland, and Duke of Aquitaine from 1216 until his death. The son of King John and Isabella of Angoulême, Henry assumed the throne when he was only nine in the middle of the First Barons' War. Cardinal Guala declared the war against the rebel barons to be a religious crusade and Henry's forces, led by William Marshal, defeated the rebels at the battles of Lincoln and Sandwich in 1217. Henry promised to abide by the Great Charter of 1225, which limited royal power and protected the rights of the major barons. His early rule was dominated first by Hubert de Burgh and then Peter des Roches, who re-established royal authority after the war. In 1230, the King attempted to reconquer the provinces of France that had once belonged to his father, but the invasion was a debacle. A revolt led by William Marshal's son, Richard, broke out in 1232, ending in a peace settlement negotiated by the Church.

Baggrave Hall grade II listed building in Harborough, United kingdom

Baggrave Hall is an 18th-century Grade II* listed country house in the parish of Hungarton, Leicestershire, England. It is a two and three-storey Palladian-style building constructed during the 1750s in ashlar, with a Swithland slate hipped roof and brick ridge chimney stacks. An additional wing in red brick can be dated to 1776. The current grounds of the hall cover 220 acres. The hall was listed Grade II* in 1951, but suffered serious damage in 1988–1990.

Around 1250, the preceptory was recorded as having a yearly revenue of £62. 10s. 5d., which was used to help fellow Knights Templar in Acre, in modern-day Israel. [2]

Acre, Israel City in Israel

Acre, known to locals as Akko or Akka, is a city in the coastal plain region of the Northern District of Israel.

In 1284, King Edward I granted the preceptory's knights a charter, permitting them to hold a weekly market, on a Monday, at Rothley, and an annual fair in honour of Saint Barnabas each June. [2] [3] [4] This lasted until 1306, when King Edward issued the knights with another charter permitting them to hold a market and festival at their manor at Gaddesby, instead of at Rothley. This charter afforded a weekly market on a Wednesday and an annual festival in July in honour of Mary Magdalen. [3] [5]

Edward I of England King of England

Edward I, also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. Before his accession to the throne, he was commonly referred to as The Lord Edward. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved from an early age in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons. In 1259, he briefly sided with a baronial reform movement, supporting the Provisions of Oxford. After reconciliation with his father, however, he remained loyal throughout the subsequent armed conflict, known as the Second Barons' War. After the Battle of Lewes, Edward was hostage to the rebellious barons, but escaped after a few months and defeated the baronial leader Simon de Montfort at the Battle of Evesham in 1265. Within two years the rebellion was extinguished and, with England pacified, Edward joined the Ninth Crusade to the Holy Land. The crusade accomplished little, and Edward was on his way home in 1272 when he was informed that his father had died. Making a slow return, he reached England in 1274 and was crowned at Westminster Abbey on 19 August.

End of the Knights Templar

Pope Clement V who, under the instructions of King Philip IV of France, issued the Pastoralis Praeeminentiae suppressing the Knights Templar Papa Clemens Quintus.jpg
Pope Clement V who, under the instructions of King Philip IV of France, issued the Pastoralis Praeeminentiae suppressing the Knights Templar

After losing the Holy Land in 1291, the Knights Templar lost purpose, power and influence, and were forced to move their headquarters to France. Shortly after, King Philip IV of France, heavily indebted to the order, started a campaign against the Knights Templar, using his puppet Pope Clement V. [6] King Philip had Pope Clement arrest the Templars for various offences, including: apostasy, idolatry, heresy, obscene rituals, homosexuality, financial corruption, fraud, and secrecy. [6] Under torture, many confessed. [6]

Philip IV of France King of France

Philip IV, called Philip the Fair, was King of France from 1285 to 1314. By virtue of his marriage with Joan I of Navarre, he was also King of Navarre as Philip I from 1284 to 1305, as well as Count of Champagne. Although Philip was known as handsome, hence the epithet le Bel, his rigid and inflexible personality gained him other nicknames, such as the Iron King. His fierce opponent Bernard Saisset, bishop of Pamiers, said of him: "he is neither man nor beast. He is a statue."

Pope Clement V pope

Pope Clement V, born Raymond Bertrand de Got, was Pope from 5 June 1305 to his death in 1314. He is remembered for suppressing the order of the Knights Templar and allowing the execution of many of its members, and as the Pope who moved the Papacy from Rome to Avignon, ushering in the period known as the Avignon Papacy.

Apostasy Formal disaffiliation from or abandonment or renunciation of a religion

Apostasy is the formal disaffiliation from, abandonment of, or renunciation of a religion by a person. It can also be defined within the broader context of embracing an opinion that is contrary to one's previous religious beliefs. One who undertakes apostasy is known as an apostate. Undertaking apostasy is called apostatizing. The term apostasy is used by sociologists to mean the renunciation and criticism of, or opposition to, a person's former religion, in a technical sense, with no pejorative connotation.

With these confessions, and after more bullying from the French King, on 22 November 1307 Pope Clement issued a Papal bull, known as the Pastoralis Praeeminentiae , which instructed the monarchs of Europe to arrest all of the Knights Templar, and to seize their properties on behalf of the church. [6] King Philip had thereby freed himself of his debts. [6]

Initially, King Edward II of England refused to believe the allegations against the Templars. [6] However, in 1308, Rothley Preceptory, together with the Templars' other possessions in England, were seized by the Crown. [2]

An inventory of the dissolved preceptory from 1309 reveals that the preceptory consisted of both a hall and a chapel (thought to have been built around 1240), and had over 350 sheep. [1] [2]

Knights Hospitaller

In 1313 the preceptory and its lands were transferred to the Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem, more commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller. [1] [2]

Rothley does not appear to have been administered by the Knights Hospitallers as an independent preceptory, and was merged with the joint Dalby and Heather Preceptory by 1371, another Hospitaller establishment within Leicestershire. One Preceptor then controlled all three of these preceptories from Dalby. [7]

From around 1500 the land at all three preceptories – Dalby, Heather and Rothley – appears to have been rented out. In 1535, the three combined preceptories are recorded as providing the order with a sizable annual income of £231. 7s. 10d. [7]

In the 15th century the Hospitallers made alterations to the earlier chapel at the preceptory. [1]

Dissolution

The preceptory was suppressed and dissolved in 1540. [1] The Lordship of the Manor of Rothley, previously held by the preceptory, was from 1565 until 1845 in the hands of the Babington family. [8] The Babingtons chose not to demolish the preceptory's chapel, and it was incorporated, along with some fragments of the preceptory's domestic buildings, into the house they built on the site. [8]

Later history

Abolition of the slave trade

Rothley Temple eventually passed to Thomas Babington (1758–1837) who was a prominent figure in the Clapham Sect and the fight to abolish the slave trade. [9] A close friend of William Wilberforce, Babington and Wilberforce met frequently at Rothley Temple whilst drafting their anti-slavery bill. [9] Babington later served as MP for Leicester and High Sheriff of Leicestershire and was buried in the chapel at Rothley Temple. [10]

A large stone monument and plaque stand outside the building today, commemorating the building's, and Babington's, part in the abolition of slavery. [9] In 1800, Rothley Temple was the birthplace of Thomas Babington Macaulay (1800–1859 later Lord Macaulay the historian) named after his uncle.

Rothley Court

The preceptory's chapel and part of the domestic buildings still exist, and are now part of the Rothley Court Hotel. [1] [11] Rothley Court, originally a stately home, incorporates part of the preceptory that was converted for residential use in the 16th century. [1] Much of what can be seen today is from substantial renovation and extension works conducted by John Ely of Manchester, between 1894 and 1895. [12]

Rothley Court Hotel, which incorporates part of the former preceptory. In the foreground stands the monument recognising Rothley Temple's role in the Abolition of the Slave Trade Monument at Rothley Court Hotel - geograph.org.uk - 1639708.jpg
Rothley Court Hotel, which incorporates part of the former preceptory.
In the foreground stands the monument recognising Rothley Temple's role in the Abolition of the Slave Trade

The chapel was heavily restored in 1896. [12] In 1951, Rothley Court and the chapel were protected as Grade I Listed Buildings. [13]

A number of stone artefacts and partial grave slabs have been discovered over the years around the chapel, where they can be seen today. [11] This includes a recently restored effigy of a Templar knight, originally discovered in Rothley Churchyard in 1790; following a £2,000 restoration completed in 2011, the effigy has been placed within the original Chapel at Rothley Temple. [11]

Rothley Temple is also the name of a branch ("lodge") of the Freemasons. [14] The lodge, founded in 1961/62, took its name from the preceptory because of its association with the Knights Templar. [14]

Preceptors

The Preceptor was head of the preceptory. Similar to an Abbot with an Abbey and a Prior with a Priory, the Preceptor was in charge of the preceptory's church and land, and managed the brethren of the order who lived at the preceptory. The Preceptor was answerable to the Grand Master of his order.

Preceptors under the Knights Templar: [2]

The Preceptors under the Knights Hospitallers: From around 1371, Rothley was controlled by the preceptor of Dalby Preceptory [7]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Historic England. "Rothley Templars Preceptory (317185)". PastScape. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 House of Knights Templar – Preceptory of Rothley | A History of the County of Leicestershire: Volume 2 (pp. 31–32)
  3. 1 2 "Gazetteer of Markets and Fairs in England and Wales to 1516: Rothley" . Retrieved 22 May 2013.
  4. ↑ Ralls, Karen. Knights Templar Encyclopedia: The Essential Guide to the People, Places.
  5. ↑ "Gazetteer of Markets and Fairs in England and Wales to 1516: Gaddesby" . Retrieved 22 May 2013.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Malcolm Barber, The Trial of the Templars. Cambridge University Press, 1978. ISBN   0-521-45727-0
  7. 1 2 3 'House of Knights Hospitallers: Preceptory of Dalby and Heather', A History of the County of Leicestershire: Volume 2 (1954), pp. 32–33. Date accessed: 16 June 2013.
  8. 1 2 Leicestershire Archaeological Society. "Rothley: The Preceptory" (PDF). Retrieved 22 May 2013.
  9. 1 2 3 Sheppard, Terry; Whyte, Iain. Rothley and the Abolition of the Slave Trade.
  10. ↑ Leicestershire County Council. "Thomas Babington of Rothley Temple" (PDF).
  11. 1 2 3 Rothley – Rothley Temple and the Chapel of the Knights Templar – Leicestershire Villages
  12. 1 2 Historic England. "Rothley Court Hotel (1324334)". PastScape. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
  13. ↑ Historic England. "Rothley Court and Chapel (1278606)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 25 May 2013.
  14. 1 2 "Rothley Temple Lodge". Leicestershire and Rutland Freemasons. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
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