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The Hook Templars

• Message 1.Β 

  Posted by RyanO (U8918008) on Sunday, 17th August 2008

  I was making my way to the Hook lighthouse (Hook is interesting in itself, meant to be the oldest lighthouse in Europe still in use at 800 years old, it was built by Strongbows son-in-law)
  last week when I happened on an interesting old ruin. Opposite the ruin was a public house called "The Templar Inn" - ah-ha says I.
  
  The ruin was made up of a square tower, large enough compared to the church to which it was connected, and obviously constructed with a defensive capacity in mind.
  
  As a ruin it was impressive in that it had weathered so well with practically all its original stone work intact. The stone steps took one to mid-way up the tower.
  
  Unfortunately the building has not had any conservation work and seems to be the local teen drinking den to judge by the names scrawled on the walls.
  
  A plaque on the surrounding wall indicates that it was indeed built by the Templars. Anyone know how many such buildings were built by the order in Ireland/Britain?
  
  
  
  
  

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by an ex-nordmann - it has ceased to exist (U3472955) on Sunday, 17th August 2008

  You were in Templetown then, RyanO. After the murder of Thomas Beckett, Henry II swore as part of his atonement to provide land to 200 Templars. He made this up from confiscating land here and there (some atonement, what) and Kilcloggan Manor on the Hook Peninsula was one of these properties. The Templars moved in and stayed for about 200 years, but the fortification you were looking at actually comes from another 100 years or so later again, despite its local name. I believe Duncannon's fortifications date from the same period. By then even the "new" landlords, the Knights Hospitallers, had pretty much given up on the site and it had passed back into secular hands.
  
  The church you can see is even later (Victorian times), but some ruins of the original Templar church are still visible.

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  Posted by stalteriisok (U3212540) on Sunday, 17th August 2008

  swingfield kent
  

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• Message 4

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  Posted by RyanO (U8918008) on Monday, 18th August 2008

  β€˜You were in Templetown then, RyanO’
  
  Interesting, thanx. Do you know the name/history of the old mansion further down the road (Kilcloggan Manor?), it seems to be derelict, shame to see such a fine building derelict.
  

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• Message 5

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  Posted by an ex-nordmann - it has ceased to exist (U3472955) on Monday, 18th August 2008

  There were a few "big houses" on the peninsula, RyanO - some which had more dramatic introductions to ruination than others. How far down the road did you go?

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• Message 6

  , in reply to message 2.

  Posted by Anglo-Norman (U1965016) on Monday, 18th August 2008

  Mon, 18 Aug 2008 20:57 GMT, in reply to Nordmann in message 2
  
  The Templars moved in and stayed for about 200 years, but the fortification you were looking at actually comes from another 100 years or so later againΒ 
  
  Ah... well that clears that up. I was slightly puzzled, as my understanding was that there was no surviving evidence of Templar fortifications in the British Isles. Fortunately it looks like there still isn't!
  
  As they were mostly farming over here, fortifications would be an unusual thing to find - although I would expect some sort of defences at the long since vanished Temple Meads preceptory in Bristol, as it was the site of their main naval base in Britain.

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