St Osyth Preceptory - 0496

This Preceptory was constituted in 1980

The Preceptory meets at;
            Colvin Memorial Temple, 7 Holland Road,
            Clacton on Sea, Essex.
            CO15 6EG.
Meeting on;
            3rd Saturday in January (Malta Installation)
            3rd Saturday in April (KT Installation)
            4th Saturday in September
            2nd Saturday in November
Registrar
            E.Kt Stephen Smith
            Reg496@essexkt.org
History
            The farthest east of all the Preceptories in the Province. Takes its name from St. Osyth
             Abbey, an Augustinian monastic house which was founded around 1121 by Richard de Belmeis
            who was Bishop of London and St. Osyth. Built on the site of an earlier Saxon nunnery,
            established as a Priory then raised to Abbey status. The Priory had been founded by
            St. Osyth (also Osith or Osgyth) who was born of a noble family and became a ''royal saint
            and virgin martyr''. The Abbey's first prior was William de Corbeil, who was elected Archbishop
            of Canterbury in 1123. During the Reformation, under Henry VIII, it was dissolved like all
            monasteries and granted to Thomas Cromwell in 1539, but after Cromwell's fall from favour
            returned to Crown possession. Previously one of the largest religious houses in Essex it was
            then sold in 1551 to Sir Thomas Darcy by King Edward VI. The exterior of the gatehouse,
            dating fromthe late 15th century, is a fine example of ''decorative flint work'' and is the
            most significant remnant of the original monastic structures still standing.