Templar Sites

ABOUT THE SITE

Shipley, which is about six and a half miles south of Horsham, was the largest Preceptory in Sussex. In approximately 1139, Philip de Braose (or Harcourt), son of Robert the Strong, gave the Shipley manor and its church to the Order. Shipley was a mainly agricultural preceptory, and even today, this pleasant village remains peaceful and unspoilt.

The major Templar-related remain(s) to be seen today at Shipley, is the austere, early Norman church of St. Mary.

George Tull, in 'Traces of the Templars', tells us more about the special reliquary that was found in this church:

"A special treasure…was a 13th c. reliquary which, from its style, was probably made in Limoges. This was in the form of an oakwood casket about seven inches long with a sharply pitched roof, covered in copper and enamelled with Saints and the Crucifixion in gold, dark and light blue; essentially a tiny church or shrine for the Saints whose relics were here. Unfortunately, there is now only a replica of this priceless reliquary to be seen there, as the original was stolen in 1976." (1)

The Templars were also known to have had lands nearby at Loxwood, Wisborough and Bramber, and the chapel at Knepp.

The last Preceptor of Shipley was William de Egendon, 1304-8, after which the lands were turned over to the Hospitallers, which was usually the case after 1307.

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1. Tull, George, Traces of the Templars, p58

This small preceptory was dependent on Shipley; it was granted to the Templars in 1228 by Geoffrey de Say. Unfortunately, nothing remains today of the original Templar preceptory.