On the Rise and Suppression of the Templars in Yorkshire

Abstract

[As this paper is about to be published in extenso by the Yorkshire Philosophical Society, before whom it was originally read, only an abstract of it is here given.] The object of this paper being the local not the general history of the order of Templars, I shall not enter into the circumstances of its foundation, but confine myself to its extension in Yorkshire, with especial reference to the neighbourhood of the place in which we are assembled. In this county they had been enriched by grants from several noble houses—De Brus, Mowbray, de Ros, and Lacy. Their lands in the North Riding they had derived chiefly from the two first, those in the West from the two last. Robert de Ros, the second lord, brother-in-law to Walter Espec, the founder of Rievaulx Abbey, gave them Ribston, Hunsingore, Cattal, and Walsford. The De Lacy’s, lords of the Honour of Pontefract, whose possessions extended not only through many parts of England, but to Wales and Ireland, were great benefactors to the order. From them they derived the church of Kellington, Whitkirk, Skelton, and Newhusum, now Temple Newsome. William and Roger de Hastings gave them the lands of Hurst, near Snaith, which still retain the name of Temple Hurst, and some interesting remains of the house and chapel. England was divided under the Templars into a number of Balliae, Eborascire being one of them; and in places where their possessions were important they had preceptors, i.e ., receivers of their rents and ...