Temple, Cornwall

Temple derives its name from the hospice or preceptory founded by the Knights Templars who built a refuge for pilgrims and travellers, en route to the Holy Land, in the 12th century. On the suppression of the Templars it passed into the hands of the Knights Hospitallers (in 1314), who held it until the religious houses were suppressed by Henry VIII. In 1901 it was a curacy of Warleggan and on 1 April 1934, the parish of Temple was incorporated into Blisland parish.{{cite news|title=A Clergyman Found Dead Near Bodmin|work=The Cornubian and Redruth Times|issue=1962|date=25 January 1901|page=7}}{{cite web |url=http://www.ancientquest.com/templarsites/engl-sw/cornwall/001-about1.html |title=Temple Church Cornwall |accessdate=2008-11-21 |author=Bernardi, Dame Stella |work=Templar Sites in England |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091105050632/http://www.ancientquest.com/templarsites/engl-sw/cornwall/001-about1.html |archivedate=2009-11-05 }}{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10203600|title=Relationships and changes Temple CP/AP through time|publisher=A Vision of Britain through Time|accessdate=9 May 2023}}

Temple Church is a Grade II* listed building built c.1120 on land owned by the Knights Templar. It became famous as a place where marriages could be performed without banns or licence (similar to Gretna Green until the early 20th century). This came to an end in 1744 when the church first came under episcopal jurisdiction. By the mid-19th century, it had become a ruin and a final service was held on 29 January 1882, in front of a ″large congregation″ led by the Reverend J Brown.{{cite news |title=The ancient Church of Temple |work=The Cornishman |issue=186 |date=2 February 1882 |page=4}} It was rebuilt (by Silvanus Trevail) in the following year.Cornish Church Guide (1925). [Parochial history, by Charles Henderson; Temple, p. 202]. Truro: Blackford The church is dedicated to St Catherine.{{cite web|title=Church of St Catherine|url=http://www.pastscape.org/hob.aspx?hob_id=433953&sort=4&search=all&criteria=temple%20cornwall&rational=q&recordsperpage=10|publisher=English Heritage – Pastscape|accessdate=27 May 2013}}

The church contains several references to its links with the Knights Templar, including a cross pattée in the east window and a depiction of a mounted knight in the north window of the church tower.

Arthur Langdon (1896) recorded the existence of eight stone crosses in the parish, including two cross slabs, all in the churchyard.Langdon, A. G. (1896) Old Cornish Crosses. Truro: Joseph Pollard Several of these crosses were subsequently incorporated into a stone outbuilding on the south side of the church.Temple Church Bodmin Moor, Church Welcome Leaflet

File:St. Catherine's church, Temple - geograph.org.uk - 750143.jpg|St Catherine's Church and churchyard

File:East window of the church at Temple, Cornwall.jpg|East window showing the cross pattée of the Knights Templar

File:Templar2.jpg|Detail of stained glass window in the church tower showing a mounted knight

File:Outbuilding of the church at Temple, Cornwall.jpg|Stone outbuilding incorporating early stone crosses

File:Temple War Memorial - geograph.org.uk - 1542426.jpg|Temple war memorial

{{Portal|Cornwall}}

• Templars Preceptory

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category-inline|Temple, Cornwall}}

• [http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/Cornwall/Temple/ GENUKI entry for Temple]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110613233739/http://www.lhi.org.uk/docs/history_of_temple_church.pdf The History of Temple Church] (in PDF format)
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110716182607/http://www.churchplansonline.org/show_full_image_zoom.asp?resource_id=08744.tif Temple Church (from Church Plans Online)]
• [https://wildandfreecornwall.uk/2023/02/25/templechurchbodminmoorcornwall/ Visiting Temple Church]
• [http://www.achurchnearyou.com/temple-st-catherine/ About the Church]

{{Cornwall|state=collapsed}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Villages in Cornwall

Category:Former civil parishes in Cornwall

Category:1120 establishments in England

Category:Bodmin Moor

Category:Preceptories of the Knights Templar