The Knights Templar and Knights Hospitaller played a significant role in medieval England, establishing numerous preceptories and manors across rural Shropshire and Staffordshire. These sites were not only religious and military outposts but also centers of agricultural and economic activity. Among them, two key preceptories stand out: Lydley Heys in Shropshire and Temple Keele in Staffordshire.

Lydley Heys Preceptory: A Hidden Templar Estate

Nestled on the southern slopes of the Lawley and Caer Caradoc Hills, the Lydley Heys Preceptory occupied land that today forms part of Penkridge Hall. The exact date of its founding remains uncertain, but historical records suggest that Herbert de Castello granted the Templars a carucate of land (roughly 60 football fields) around the same time that William FitzAlan donated land at Cardington and Enchmarsh.

By 1185, the preceptory had expanded to include:

• Two messuages in Shrewsbury,
• A virgate (30 acres) at Round,
• A virgate at Kinlet,
• And half a messuage in Bridgnorth.

During this period, the Templars are also believed to have built a mill on the site, further solidifying their economic presence in the region.

Temple Keele Preceptory: A Templar Stronghold

Located 40 miles northeast of Lydley Heys, Temple Keele Preceptory now lies within the grounds of Keele University. The estate was granted to the Templars by Henry II between 1155 and 1163, though at the time, it was uncultivated land with no resident Templars or villagers. It is believed that the Templars at Dinsley oversaw its initial development, as they were the first to administer the site.

By 1216, Keele became an independent preceptory, managing estates across Staffordshire and into the Shropshire borders. The site was extensive, featuring:

• A grand hall,
• A separate chamber (likely used by the Preceptor),
• A chapel,
• A kitchen,
• Stables, a dovecote, a sheepfold,
• A barn, a windmill, and a watermill.

The running of such a vast estate required significant manpower, leading to an influx of workers and laypeople, which contributed to the founding of Keele village.

A Hub for Trade & Travel

Like today’s M6 Motorway, Temple Keele was strategically located along an important medieval roadway. Packhorses traveling through the estate were required to pay a toll of 4d per packhorse, a valuable source of income for the Templars.

The Transition to the Hospitallers & The Pilgrimage Chapel at Onneley

Following the suppression of the Templars in 1308, their estates were transferred to the Knights Hospitaller. This included lands in Onneley, where a pilgrimage chapel was recorded in 1549.

Historical evidence suggests that this chapel, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, was originally a Templar church—one of the earliest royal grants to the order in the region. By the late 14th century, a small staff of chaplains at Keele maintained the chapel, which was under the administration of the Hospitallers’ Halston Preceptory in Shropshire.

Although the chapel was not listed in the 1563 ecclesiastical return, it continued to appear on maps, including:

• Saxton’s map (late 16th century)
• John Speed’s re-drawing (1610), where it was marked as “Onneley Church.”

Today, the site is believed to be marked by a raised platform in a field near Chapel Field, off the lane running north from Onneley to Betley.

A Lasting Medieval Legacy

The preceptories at Lydley Heys and Temple Keele, along with the pilgrimage chapel at Onneley, showcase the deep-rooted influence of the Templars and Hospitallers in medieval England. From military-religious estates to trade hubs and pilgrimage sites, their legacy still shapes the landscape of Shropshire and Staffordshire today.

To Read the report for yourself – please hit the following link here

The Knights Hospitallers & Halston Preceptory: A Legacy of Pilgrimage and Power

Following the dissolution of the Knights Templar in 1307, many of their preceptories were absorbed by the Knights Hospitaller. Among them were Lydley Heys and Keele, key Templar estates in Shropshire and Staffordshire. However, the Hospitallers also had their own preceptory in Shropshire—Halston Preceptory, an important religious and administrative center along a medieval pilgrimage route to Anglesey.

Halston Preceptory: A Hospitaller Stronghold

Located near Oswestry, Halston Preceptory was founded sometime between 1165 and 1187, following a grant of land from Roger de Powys, Lord of Whittington. Over time, Halston grew into a major Hospitaller stronghold, particularly after it absorbed the preceptory of Dolgynwal (modern-day Yspytty Ifan, Denbighshire) in 1294.

By then, Halston had become the administrative center for all Hospitaller estates in north Wales, overseeing a vast network of properties, including:

• Ellesmere Church, acquired from Llywelyn the Great in 1225,
• Penmachno Chapel (Caernarfonshire),
• Gwanas Grange (Merionethshire),
• Tregynon Church (Montgomeryshire), which was partly under Halston’s control by 1254,
• Carno Manor and Llanwddyn Grange (Montgomeryshire), likely direct dependencies of Halston rather than Dolgynwal.

The Remains of Halston Preceptory

While much of the original preceptory has disappeared, one remarkable structure survives—a fine timber-framed chapel, believed to date from the early 15th century. The rest of the site, which once stood to the west of the chapel, was likely demolished around 1690, when the present Halston Hall was built on higher ground to the north.

Today, the surrounding fields still bear signs of the preceptory’s past, with artificial earthworks marking its former extent. Two rectangular ditched enclosures to the south of the chapel hint at the layout of the medieval estate.

Uncovering the Past: A Time Team Investigation

Recently, the popular archaeology TV show “Time Team” visited Halston to conduct an archaeological dig, revealing new insights into the site’s history. Their findings can be viewed on their YouTube channel, offering a fascinating glimpse into the lost world of the Knights Hospitaller in Shropshire. To watch the Halston Preceptory episode click here