Village of the Templars

[1938 Observer]

Time Team S03-E03 Village of the Templars (Templecombe, Somerset) .

The Knights Templar were a major power in the 12th and 13th centuries protecting pilgrims on their way to the Holy Land. They gave their name to the village of Templecombe in Somerset. Time Team visits the village in search of evidence of the Templars.

Can the team find the preceptory which was their main base? And does the mysterious picture of the disembodied head of Christ hanging in the local church have anything to do with the order of fighting monks?



An interesting one for Alastair, probably not viewable in the UK.

[Alastair]

Re: Village of the Templars

I did see this one a few years back and thanks for posting it up again. I do love these Time Team videos I have to say.

As it happens I've just come back in from attending the Knights Templar Investiture in Windsor, ON.

Alastair

[1938 Observer]

Re: Village of the Templars

Alastair,

Here is one that may interest you, from one tiny area the search a trove of finds............

Time Team S14-E01 Finds in the Fairway, Isle of Man .

Published on Mar 21, 2013

The Isle of Man may be a small and - particularly when Time Team was there - wet and windy island stuck in the middle of the Irish Sea. But it's crammed full of influences from British, Irish and even Viking incomers. In fact, it's been a cultural crossroads for thousands of years, including a time when Christianity vied with Norse paganism to be the island's principal religion.

One of the legacies of this battle for dominance were the keeills - small, simple chapels that were once found scattered right across the island. Yet today, every single one of these ancient monuments has been destroyed by agriculture, built over by later medieval churches, or dug often very badly by antiquarians.

All, that is, except one which has lain protected beneath the seventh fairway of the Mount Murray golf course, marked only by a patch of unkempt grass and a single standing stone atop a small mound. Time Team was given the unique opportunity to excavate the only known untouched keeill remaining on the Isle of Man.

[Alastair]

Re: Village of the Templars

By all accounts this was a superb dig with a number of firsts for the archaeologists. Thanks for sharing... enjoyed this one.

Alastair