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

KT Clement 300 According 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

Grand Master's Address 2019

Brother Knights, first, a big thank you to all attending Great Priory today for your continued support of our wonderful Order. Your presence is most appreciated and, I know, will mean so much to those Brother Knights receiving appointments and promotions. Looking around the room, I feel we are building in strength here at Freemasons’ Hall and, happily, we still have space for expansion. So if you have enjoyed the proceedings of the day and the fellowship and camaraderie of your Brother Knights, then tell those in your Preceptories what a great day they are missing and let’s build even further on the success of this meeting.

It has undoubtedly been a meeting to remember and I have reflected on the occasion in Birmingham 13 years ago today when Malcolm Ernest Slater became our Great Seneschal and I would, once more, wish to thank Malcolm for the outstanding services he has rendered to the Order since becoming a Great Officer 24 years ago. You will have heard earlier that he will still continue to serve on the Grand Master’s Council and has agreed to undertake duties representing me when the need arises. I am so grateful to him and I know you are too.

We all wish our new Great Seneschal well in his exalted role and I look forward to working with him in the years that lie ahead.

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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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