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Summary

Remains of the Knights Templar Preceptory, watermill and fishponds, South Witham

Full description

The Knights Templar had a small house at South Witham founded before 1164, dissolved 1308-12. It was one of the smallest preceptories in England, and by 1309 was already in decline. The property passed to the Hospitallers and was later merged with Temple Bruer. In 1563 the lands called Great Temple were granted to Stephen Holford. In 1794 it was still uninhabited, and has since been largely used for grazing. Aerial photographs show traces of associated earthworks around the OS siting. {1}

Part of the site was excavated by Philip Mayes in the mid 1960s. The excavations revealed chapel, buildings, barns, stables, kitchens, brewhouse, corndrying kilns, metal-working areas, etc. On the east the farmstead was bounded by the river Witham which flows south to north was dammed at the north end to form a mill pond. None of the mill machinery itself has survived, but the mill race and the sluice gates were well-preserved, and in the waterlogged area at the bottom of the mill run, parts of the wooden water wheel were preserved. The millpond downstream of the mill was cobbled to prevent the water eroding the dam. {4}{7}

There is a full description in the scheduling document 22611. {9}

A resistivity survey was undertaken by Grantham Archaeology Group in 2006 at the Knights Templar Preceptory in order to confirm and reiterate the geophysical survey results obtained during poor weather in 2004. The more recent results confirmed and supported the 2004 findings and revealed further evidence of linear anomalies, interpreted as possible walls and structures. {10}

<1> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Card Index, SK 92 SW: 5 (Index). SLI2344.

<2> D. Knowles and R.N. Hadcock, 1971, Medieval Religious Houses: England and Wales - Second Edition, - (Bibliographic Reference). SLI1089.

<3> NAISMITH, 1787, NOTITIA MONASTICA, - (Bibliographic Reference). SLI1025.

<4> MAYES, P., 1968, CURRENT ARCHAEOLOGY, VOL 9, P 232 (Article in Serial). SLI624.

<5> RAF, 1953, RAF, F21.58.1096.0119-20 (Aerial Photograph). SLI142.

<6> Lincolnshire County Council, Sites and Monuments Record Card Index, SK 92 SW: I (Index). SLI2881.

<7> Philip Mayes, 1966, Archaeological Excavations on the Preceptory of the Knights Templar at South Witham, Lincolnshire, - (Unpublished Document). SLI4721.

<8> 1965, EAST MIDLANDS ARCHAEOLOGICAL BULLETIN, - (Index). SLI2235.

<9> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 1994, REVISED SCHEDULING DOCUMENT 22611, MPP 22 (Scheduling Record). SLI4246.

<10> Grantham Archaeology Group, 2006, Resistance Survey at The Knights Templar Preceptory at South Witham: Addendum, - (Report). SLI13020.

Monument Types

• WALL (Unknown date)
• FARMSTEAD (Medieval - 1164 AD to 1312 AD)
• FISHPOND (Medieval - 1164 AD to 1312 AD)
• PRECEPTORY (Medieval - 1164 AD to 1312 AD)
• WATERMILL (Medieval - 1164 AD to 1312 AD)

Associated Events

• Resistance Survey at The Knights Templar Preceptory at South Witham: Addendum
• Excavation of South Witham Preceptory

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument

Sources and further reading

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