More information : (SE 03578877) Chapel NR) (Remains of). (1)
Remains of a preceptory of the Knights Templars. (2)
House of the Knights Templars at Penhill (SE 0486 on OS 6")
founded by Roger Mowbray c 1142, dissolved 1308-12 and passed
to the Knights Hospitallers who accounted it worthless in 1328
due to its ruinous state. (3)
Remains of four stone walls approximately 3ft high x 4 1/2ft thick
with interior walls at E end only a few inches above ground level.
Gate of 'doorway' space in S wall. (4)
Templar's chapel of Our Lady and St Catherine Gde II. (5)
A chapel in the preceptory of the Knights Templar, built in the
12th century and handed over on their suppression in 1312 to the
hospitallers.
The chapel, the remains of which were uncovered in 1840, served
adjoining residential buildings that have not been exposed. (6)
The renovated remains of the chapel measures 17.5m east to west
by 6.8m internally with walls 1.3m wide and 1.1m maximum height.
There is a doorway 1.3m wide in the west end of the south wall.
In the centre of the main floor are three stone coffins with cover
slabs, whilst in the chancel is the stone base of an altar.
Published survey 25" revised. (7)
SE 0360 8874. Penhill Preceptory. Scheduled RSM No 24502. Slight
earthworks around the renovated chapel indicate the position of
other buildings contemporary with it. There is at present no
evidence for the existence of a defined precinct boundary to the
site. (8)
SE 0354 8894. The site contains the remains of two preceptory centres. The preceptory at Penhill was first mentioned in c1170-1181 but was apparently relocated further south in 1202. The second preceptory was occupied until 1307 when the Templar was suppressed. Between 1309 and 1312, Penhill was acquired by the Knights Hospitallers who seem not to have developed the site, as the buildings were ruinous by 1338.
The site of the first preceptory comprises the earthwork remains of a courtyard defined by ranges of buildings. A second courtyard lies on a higher terrace. A 20 metre square earthwork is interpreted as the footings for a tower - a feature of all Templar preceptories.
The second preceptory lies to the south and follows the same basic pattern, with the remains of a courtyard lying south east of the chapel, and earthworks representing further building ranges.
The site of a mill lies west of the chapel and courtyard, with earthwork remains of the mill buildings and associated mill ponds and water channels.
Some sections of the estate boundary survive to the east of the site, visble as earthen banks, and the earthwork remains of structures and activities associated with the wider estate survive across the site.
The remains of a coaxial field system survive as a series of banks running across the site. These banks are up to 5 metres wide, 40 metres long and lie about 20 metres apart on average. The date of this field system is unclear.
Scheduled. (9)
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