Amongst the followers of William I, was one Geoffrey de Wirce, a Norman knight rewarded
for his part in the conquest by a grant of lands in Warwickshire including the manor of
Hampton and within it the hamlet of Balshall (Balsall).
For some reason these lands reverted back to the Crown and were later given to Nigel
D'Albini Lord of the Manor of Hampton in Arden.
On his death his son Roger took possession and later changed his name to De Mowbray.
Roger de Mowbray - a devout man gave the hamlet of Balshall to an order of Knights known
as the Knights Templar some time between 1135 and 1154.
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The Templars were a crusading order
founded in 1118 to protect pilgims on route to the Holy Land and to nurse the sick. The
estate increased in importance and became the headquarters of all their properties in
Warwickshire. The Templars grew wealthy and powerful being accountable for their actions
to no less than the Pope, a situation that gave them many enemies within the church.
In 1291 the Crusades came to an end and the Templars were no longer needed. Their enemies
seized this opportunity and by 1308 the remaining Templars were taken into custody, killed
or sent to remote monasteries.
By order of the Pope the Templars possessions were transferred to another order - The
Knights of St John also known as the Hospitallers the forerunners of the St John Ambulance
Brigade. |
Little is known of the
Hospitallers of Temple Balsall who occupied the site from 1338.
By 1470 the estate at Temple Balsall had been leased to a lay tenant, John Beaufitz and it
continued to be let out until the Order of St John was suppressed by Henry VIII along with
the monasteries and other religious orders.
The Manor was given by Henry to his last wife Catherine Par, eventually passing to Robert
Dudley, Earl of Leicester, and later to his granddaughters Lady Anne Holbourne and her
sister Lady Katherine Leveson.
Lady Anne began to restore the run down church and left £500 in her will to complete the
work.
Lady Katherine later bought her sisters share in the estate and on her death in 1674 left
instructions to erect an Almshouse for 20 poor women and a free school for 20 poor boys of
the parish. The Minister of the church being employed as teacher of the boys.
William Harlbutt, a prominent builder was appointed construct the buildings in 1679.
In 1771 the governors decided to add special accommodation for some incapacitated inmates
and a resident Matron was employed.
These additional buildings form the front wings of the Hospital facing onto the
'Breadwalk'.
In 1835 the masters house was rebuilt to the north of the original and in 1864 the east
end of the old hall was converted into a cottage for the church sexton. In 1865 the school
room was rebuilt. Minor changes have taken place since but the major buildings have
remained unchanged since then.
Temple Balsall
The Almshouses
See
also John Webs excellent site www.cv81pl.freeserve.co.uk/balsall.htm
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