The Templars’ chapel at Dinsley

Those readers who have read the descriptions of dark deeds in Templar chapter meetings in the Proceedings against the Templars in the British Isles (translation apparently no longer available since Taylor and Francis bought out Ashgate) will remember that many of the dark deeds were supposed to have happened at Temple Dinsley – for example, Agnes Louekete’s tale (which you can find on pp. 222–23 of the elusive translation or in a short version on page 3 of my ‘Daily News’). Agnes described a vault containing an image of a devil with glittering eyes; a black cross; and a well 360 feet deep. However, the sheriff who was in charge of the Templars’ manor at Dinsley from 9 January until 9 February 1308 did not find any dubious relics or other equipment. He listed what he did find:

J porthors {a breviary}, J anciph[ona] {an antiphoner}, J missal’ {a missal}, J psalter’ {a psalter}, J tropar’ {a book of tropes}, J gradali {a service-book}, J martilog[io] {a calendar of saints}, J Calice { a chalice}, iiij Cap[is] chori {3 copes worn in choir}, J vel’ q[u]\a/drag’ cu[m] appar’ {a lenten veil with equipment}, ij vestiment’ debil’ {two worn-out vestments} . He sold the lot for less than £7 (TNA E 358/19 rot. 52). There were no relics or images, and no cross of any colour.

Hertfordshire, near the former Dinsley manor. Photo by N2 Productions

Despite these sales, the chapel remained in operation. In the accounts for 9 February to 29 September 1308 (TNA E 358/18 rot. 23) 8 shillings were spent on 12 pounds of wax for the chapel, and 41 s 3 d were spent in wages for the chaplain, at a rate of 15 d per week. In addition Martin of Stokton, chaplain, who was working as priest at Dinsley, received 69 s 6 d. As there had not been a Templar brother-chaplain at Dinsley before the arrests in January 1308, presumably for some years past a non-Templar had been employed as chaplain there. He would have provided his own chalice and cross for services.

So, what about the image, cross and well mentioned by Agnes? If the sheriff had found the image and cross he would have sold them (King Edward II needed all the funds he could get), but they were never found. The dark deeds in the chapel at night look like an imagined horror story worthy of Ann Radcliffe. There is a well in the neighbouring village of Preston which is just under 212 feet deep, so Agnes was exaggerating with her well of 360 feet.

Dinsley manor is long gone: Princess Helena College is now on the site.