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A History of Preston in Hertfordshire
The Temple Dinsley Archaeological Project 2000 - 2001
1766
The Temple Dinsley Archaeological Project began in 2000. Its
objective was to examine the origins of Dinsley and Preston,
together with the history of Temple Dinsley from its establishment
by the Knights Templar.
The committee overseeing the project consisted of Christopher
Sansom (chairman, of The Bungalow, School Lane), Joseph Elders
(right, late of Holly Cottages, Preston), Gilbert Burleigh and Adrian
Havercroft (archaeologists) and representatives of Preston’s Trust
and Parish Council, North Herts Museums and Archaeological
Society, Princess Helena College (PHC), Preston School staff and
residents of Preston.
An initial scan of the site revealed a fourteenth century Flemish jetton near the pond and many
relatively modern iron artefacts. The main site was in a ‘gently undulating’ field to the south of PHC
which was pasture and ‘may never have been ploughed’. It is approximately 100 to 300 metres to the
south of the PHC buildings and measures around 200 metres north-to-south and 100m east-to-west.
It is the pasture to the right of the gate-pier shown above:
Plan of the Temple Dinsley Archaeological Project extracted from the survey
The building shown bottom right is approximately where Temple Farm stood with its
out-buildings. The farm was demolished after 1929. Trench E revealed what appeared to be a path
from Temple Farm to Temple Dinsley which was gravelled with a light camber and had a wheel rut.
Two parallel rows of depressions in the surface on either side of the path (possibly used in the 18thC)
were observed which were possibly formed by a row of trees - a tree hole was excavated in trench F.
This is perhaps shown as a path from Temple Farm to Temple Dinsley in around 1869:
Path and trees
The Report also commented, “Evidence of Saxon settlement (7th/8th century) in the area was found
in the shape of two rough domestic pottery sherds, probably ex situ, disturbed by tree planting and
terracing, and found in Trench F. This is a rare find in this area, and of considerable
significance. Although an associated settlement could not be located, its close proximity can be
reasonably inferred. Indeed, it appeared from the results of the trial trenches that the area
investigated, at first thought to be the possible site of the deserted village of Dinsley, had been used
for rubbish disposal and as gardening plots or similar with light structures such as sheds and fences,
perhaps as part of the “Dig for Victory” campaign in World War II; all artefacts found (with the
exception of the residual Saxon sherds already described) were of the 20th century.
No traces of structures were found by a GPR survey on the possible site of the mill near the pond
and in the area of the sunken lawn where the Elizabethan “Sadleir” house is thought to be. Various
extensions to the school over the years have not revealed any archaeological remains, including the
results of trial trenching by Heritage Network in 2003 on the site of the new Science Block. Together
this suggests that terracing, landscaping and other disturbance on a large scale had taken place
during the Lutyens work and later, removing or burying archaeological evidence.
The only area which might be less affected is under the Benedict Ithell 1714 house itself, and
perhaps the car park in front, where there has been less terracing and building since 1714 and
survival of archaeological deposits and features may be better.
The archaeological potential of the area surrounding the house is therefore lower than
was expected at the beginning of the project, and the TDAP was wound up in 2010
with this publication of a summary of its work.”
The Report, in its epitome of the history of Temple Dinsley, relates that in 1884, skeletons and
gravestones from the Templar cemetery, including a fine Purbeck marble slab from the Templar
church, had been found on the site. From 1909-11 the house was extended by the Fenwick family,
the work was undertaken by Edwin Lutyens. During construction of the west wing in this phase of
work, Medieval floor tiles, probably from the Templar hall, were found, now in the British Museum and
Letchworth Museum. The foundations of the Sadleir House were also reported during this work.
construction of a new kitchen block, to the east of the house (L).
This History of Preston website mentions “Further evidence of the original Temple Dinsley has been
discovered in the form of a few of the floor tiles of the chapel, embellished with heraldic designs
shown above. Skeletons of some of the monks have been dug up in the kitchen yard. A skull was
used by Lord Hampden, Henry Brand, on his study table as a reminder of his mortality (a memento
mori) when he was tenant of Temple Dinsley. Lodged with the bones was a pewter chalice of the
early fourteenth century. This was discovered on 17 February 1887.”
Regarding the floor tiles of Temple Dinsley’s chapel, the website also states,’From 1909-11 the house
was extended by the Fenwick family, the work undertaken by Edwin Lutyens. During construction of
the west wing in this phase of work, medieval floor tiles, probably from the Templar hall, were found,
and are now in the British Museum and Letchworth Museum.’ (Now at North Herts Museum, Hitchin.)
N
L
Three of the medieval floor tiles discovered at Temple Dinsley in around 1909 and 1911
In a blog, (Link: TD tiles) Keith Fitzpatrick-Matthews (Museum Curator and Heritage Access Officer at
North Hertfordshire Museum) wrote, ‘… discoveries were made during work for Lutyens’s extensions,
when medieval floor tiles were uncovered (at J shown in the plan above); foundations of the
sixteenth-century house were found at the same time, suggesting that the discoveries were made
beneath the west wing.
Six of the tiles are in the collection of North Hertfordshire Museum and five are in the British Museum,
which also has the pewter chalice and paten fragments. Although the British Museum identifies them
as having been made at Mill Green in Essex (for two of them, it places the production centre in
Shropshire!), it is more likely that they were made locally. In many cases, tilers with large
ecclesiastical commissions would travel to the site and set up a kiln there, as this was cheaper than
trying to transport heavy items across country. If they were brought from outside Preston, then there
were tilers in Hitchin who could easily have supplied them.
The style of tile in the photograph was popular in the later Middle Ages, and this example probably
dates from between 1325 and 1375. The image is of the Lamb of God (Agnus Dei) carrying the
vexillum (a flag that was originally a Roman military standard), showing the triumph of Christ over
death and sin. Other designs from Temple Dinsley include two fleurs-de-lys (symbolising the Blessed
Virgin Mary), a shield emblazoned with a bear (?) and lion rampant in chief, lozengy in field, an
obscure crouching animal with another above its back, a wyvern and several geometric designs. All
seem to be of the same date.
The date of the tile (1325 - 1375) belongs to the early years of the Hospitallers’ tenure of Temple
Dinsley. They may be evidence for a refurbishment of existing buildings or for new construction on the
site. Work by the Temple Dinsley Archaeological Project, which ran between 2000 and 2010 failed to
find any trace of the conventual buildings, either through geophysical survey or trial trenching. While
the scale of Lutyens’s landscaping around the house may have removed most traces, it is possible
that elements remain beneath Benedict Ithell’s house.
Once again, what started as a simple investigation of a relatively ordinary (if high status) object in the
museum’s collection, has raised more questions that we are not (yet) able to answer.”
The monk’s skeleton, mentioned earlier, was last mentioned in the
minutes of St Martin’s Church. During the afternoon of 15 April 1915
the Reverends L B Ashby and H E Jones ‘reverently buried the bones
of the Knight Templar (singular) which had hitherto been kept in a box
at the east end of the church (probably in the storage room) in a grave
just outside the north wall of the chancel and it was agreed that a
simple stone should be inscribed in the wall of the church to mark this
spot’.
The Purbeck marble coffin lid was deposited in St
Martin’s Church and a use for it was often discussed
at church annual meetings. In 1951, it was kept
‘behind the altar’ in a storage room. Mrs Geidt of
Preston House, The Green suggested that it be
moved to ‘a more convenient place’. No action was
taken, until the Vicar commented in July 1953 that
there was ‘not a convenient place’. It was also
suggested that its ‘appearance would be improved by
a coat of paint’.
Fourteen years later, it was still lying, unpainted, ‘in
the storage room behind the altar’ and Mr McConville
of Pryor House, The Green, suggested that it should
be brought ‘out into the church and shown in a
suitable way’. ‘After discussion it was decided to find
out more about its history before moving it’. The move
didn’t happen as in March 1984, Mr Sansom
(Christopher’s father) said that he thought the wall
behind the altar and by the Knight Templar gravestone
The altar at St Martins. The storage
room was behind the yellow curtain. The
coffin lid and stand are on the right.
should be examined for damp. In 1992, it was in the south-east corner of St Martin’s nave.
Following Christopher Sansom’s death in 2001, his mother, Doreen, arranged for the slab to be
mounted in a oak frame which allowed both sides to be viewed as a fitting memorial to her son in the
church. (Link: Chris Sansom)
