HOUSE OF KNIGHTS TEMPLARS
14. PRECEPTORY OF TEMPLE DINSLEY
In a chapter of the Order of the Temple held
at Paris in the Octave of Easter 1147, (fn. 1) at which
Pope Eugenius III was present, Bernard de
Balliol gave the knights 'Wedelee,' a member
of Hitchin, or land to the value of £15. (fn. 2) This
estate, which was at Dinsley, (fn. 3) was confirmed
to them by King Stephen, (fn. 4) who added two
mills with the land and men belonging to
them, (fn. 5) and granted them also sac and soc, tol
and team and infangtheof, with all other free
customs in Dinsley. (fn. 6) At what date the preceptory at Dinsley was founded is not known, but
that it was already established at the beginning
of the 13th century is certain, since a chapter
was held here between 1200 and 1205. (fn. 7) Besides,
the agreement of Mabel Abbess of Elstow,
c. 1218-22, (fn. 8) to pay the Templars a mark a year
and 4 lb. of wax for the maintenance of a
chaplain and the light of his chapel at Preston (fn. 9)
was apparently later than the arrangement by
which the nuns were to find a chaplain to
perform divine service three times a week at
Preston for the brothers of the Temple living
at Dinsley. (fn. 10)
The property of the knights in the neighbourhood was increased from time to time, (fn. 11) among
the larger gifts being 13 acres of land in Wandon
in King's Walden, (fn. 12) and Charlton received in
1244-5 from Maud de Lovetot, formerly the
wife of Gerard de Furnival, (fn. 13) and 2 marks rent
in Welles in Offley (fn. 14) from John de Balliol. (fn. 15)
The Templars in January 1252-3 were
granted by Henry III free warren in their
demesne lands of Dinsley, Preston, Charlton,
Walden and Hitchin. (fn. 16)
Not much is known about the preceptory, but
it was perhaps fairly important. Chapters of
the order, besides that already mentioned, were
held here c. 1219-29, (fn. 17) c. 1254-9, (fn. 18) in 1265, (fn. 19)
1292, (fn. 20) 1301, (fn. 21) and 1304, (fn. 22) and, to judge from
evidence given in 1310, on several other occasions. (fn. 23)
The preceptor's jurisdiction extended to
Baldock, for in 1277 he was summoned to show
warrant for hanging a man there. (fn. 24)
At the time when the Templars were all
arrested by the king's order in January 1308
there seem to have been six brothers at Dinsley,
since the manor was charged with the maintenance of that number between 14 February
and 12 June while they were imprisoned in
Hertford Castle. (fn. 25) Whether, however, they
were resident at Dinsley, and whether they
included Richard Peitevyn and Henry de Paul,
'brothers at Dinsley,' who were afterwards sent
to the Tower of London, (fn. 26) is uncertain. There
were besides six men then living at Dinsley as
pensioners of the house: one who had meals at
the squires' table and five who boarded with
the brothers. (fn. 27)
After the suppression of the Order of the
Temple in 1312 the manor was occupied for
some years by the lords of the fee, and then let
by them for 27 marks a year to William de
Langford, who in 1338 was still the tenant. (fn. 28)
The Knights of St. John had meanwhile become
the owners in virtue of the Statute of 1324, (fn. 29)
and eventually placed members of their order
there, for the preceptory of Dinsley is mentioned in the reign of Richard II. (fn. 30)
How long this cell was maintained is doubtful.
The manor was leased 12 September 1498 (fn. 31) to
John Tong, preceptor of Ribston and Mount
St. John, for the term of his life at a rent of
£26 13s. 4d., Tong undertaking to find a chaplain
to perform the religious services for which the
lands had been given to the Templars. (fn. 32) It
may, therefore, be concluded that Dinsley
had then ceased to be a preceptory. Yet it
seems likely that the arrangement marked a
new departure and was regarded as temporary,
for 9 November 1500 Prior Robert Kendal and
the Chapter granted to Robert Shawe, chaplain, (fn. 33) his board in the manor of Dinsley at the
table of their gentlemen there, a room and
salary of 5 marks to be received from the
prior, or from the preceptor, farmer or warden
of the manor, and in return Shawe was to
perform the services in the chapel as long as he
was able.
It is clear, however, that the preceptory was
never re-established. The manor was let in
1507 at £26 13s. 4d. a year to Thomas Hobson,
who was to provide the chaplain and maintain
for two days and nights the officials sent once
or twice a year by the Prior of St. John to
survey the property. (fn. 34) In 1514 it was let on
the same terms to Reginald Adyson and his
wife Dorothy for fifty years, (fn. 35) and their lease
becoming void in 1519 through non-payment of
the rent, to John Docwra for forty years. (fn. 36)
It is evident, therefore, that beyond a change
in the ownership of the land the dissolution of
the order of St. John in 1540 (fn. 37) made little
difference here. (fn. 38)
The receipts of the Templars' estate at
Dinsley from Michaelmas 1311 to Michaelmas
1312 were £82 19s. 9¾d., (fn. 39) but of this sum the
amount derived from rents and profits of court
was only £24 12s. 8d. In 1338, as has been
said, the manor was let for £18, (fn. 40) in 1535 it
was valued at £29 3s. 4d. a year. (fn. 41)
Preceptors of Dinsley
Richard Fitz John, occurs 1255 (fn. 42)
Ralph de Maltone, occurs 11 June 1301 (fn. 43)
John Dalton, occurs 1380-1 (fn. 44) and September
1389 (fn. 45)