Cressing Temple Preceptory - 0623

This Preceptory was constituted in 1999

The Preceptory meets at;
            Braintree Masonic Centre, Howard Hall,
            36 Bocking End, Braintree, Essex.
            CM7 9AA
Meeting on;
            2nd Thursday in March (Installation)
            3rd Tuesday in June
            3rd Thursday in November
Registrar
            E.Kt Bryan McDonald
            Reg623@essexkt.org
History
            Cressing Temple Barns was one of the earliest and most important Templar estates in England.
            Situated between Witham and Braintree it was given to the Knights Templar in 1136 by Matilda of
            Boulogne, wife of King Stephen of England. In time with other grants it became the largest of the
            possessions of the Knights Templar in England. Its barley and wheat barns built in the 13th century
            are amongst the oldest timber framed barns and few surviving Templar buildings in England.
            The knights were allowed to run markets on Thursdays and hold a 3-day long fair at the feast of the
            Decollation of St. John the Baptist. It is said that on the current site there are ''the two finest
            Templar-built barns in Europe''. The Preceptory was consecrated in November 1999 at the Howard
            Hall, Braintree where it still meets today.