Knights Templar

The Great Priory of the United Religious, Military and Masonic Orders
of the Temple and of St. John of Jerusalem, Palestine, Rhodes and Malta
of England and Wales and its Provinces Overseas

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KT Clement 300According to legend, the Knights Templar was founded in 1118 AD to protect pilgrims heading for Jerusalem and the Christian Holy places, where the small band of warrior monks established a headquarters. In the year 1118 AD King Baldwin II granted the Templars quarters on the Temple Mount and this forms the link to the Royal Arch.

Many men, of noble birth, joined the ranks of the Templar Order. Those who were unable to join often gifted the Templars with land and other valuables.
Modern Masonic association with these medieval defenders of the Christian Holy places is linked by the ceremony of Installation in which the Candidate takes the part of a Pilgrim who, by symbolically embarking on a Crusade, is elevated to Knighthood.

The earliest reference to modern Masonic Knight Templar activity in England can be found in the minutes of the Chapter of Friendship (Royal Arch) in Portsmouth, dated 1778, where it was worked as an Appendant Degree. In 1791 a Grand Conclave was formed comprising seven ‘Encampments’ with Thomas Dunckerley as Grand Master. By 1873 ‘Grand Conclave’ was now known as ‘Great Priory’, and ‘Encampments’ were now known as ‘Preceptories’.

The ceremony is very realistic and the regalia spectacular, based upon that worn by the Medieval Knights.

Prospective Candidates must be a Master Mason, a Royal Arch Mason and Christian.

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Knights Templar

Dorset & Wiltshire visit to Malta

Nineteen Knights from Dorset and Wiltshire set off from Bristol and Bournemouth for an action-packed trip to the historic City of Valetta, Malta.

There the Knights from Dorset and Wiltshire attended a meeting of La Vallette Priory, No. 649 as guests of honour, and were afforded the privilege of having some of their Knights take part in the ceremony. It is an experience they will never forget - taking part in a Malta degree ceremony in Malta.

The next evening, they were invited to attend the Waller Rodwell Wright Preceptory and Priory, No. 640, this time their Members were delighted to help out by assisting with the "Arch of Steel".

To read more about this fantastic trip, as well as many photographs of the memories they made during their visit to this lovely part of the world, please visit the Knights Templar Provincial Priory of Dorset and Wiltshire Website

With thanks to the Provincial Priory of Dorset and Wiltshire for supplying this article.

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Rulers

M.E. & S.Kt. Paul R. Clement, G.C.T.
Grand Master

V.H. & R.E.Kt. Andrew C. Rainbow, G.C.T.
Great Seneschal

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