Vanishing Templars

[imported_SimonMember]

Hi All,

I thought I’d read somewhere that one of the first templars was a guy called “Godfrey de Pocklington”. Pocklington is a small town very close to where I’m living so I thought I would follow this up.

However, when I went to look in the book where I thought I’d read it (The Templar Papers) I couldn’t find any mention of him at all. A search on the net throws up a William de Pocklington being refused penitence in the Priory of St Andrews (interesting in itself and maybe worth following up) but I can’t find any reference to any knight of Pocklington being an early templar.

I’m pretty sure I didn’t imagine this as I commented on it at the time to several people who remember me wittering on about it – but can anyone find me a reference to anybody “de Pocklington” as being one of the early templar?

Thanks,

Simon

[imported_YURIMember]

I’ve not heard of de Pocklington Simon; I’ve asked a knowledgable friend (whose going to get back to me after the weekend;… thats if he can find anything.)

Trouble with these old knights of the past, their names have different spelling variations in different documents. So called ‘Queens English’ wasn’t ‘fixed’ until the 1800′s, so most names were written down phonetically, which can make searching for characters an extra struggle.

[imported_PercevalMember]

It’s possible, even likely, the man you seek was an ancestor of this William – who was a Templar himself, but a late one. I’d say it was worth following up.

While poking around I found localish (to you) references to another Templar, Peter de Mauley, familiar to me from my own recent researches. He was suspected of (involvement in) the murder of Arthur of Brittany to make way for John to become king, and a witness to Magna Carta.

He built Mulgrave Castle near Whitby. There is also an ancient stone cross on the moors near Pickering called Mauley Cross.
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/YKS/yr … northm.txt

There is an interesting monument to a Templar Peter de Mauley in the church at Bainton ‘Cathedral of the Wolds’ (probably a descendant – there were 7 generations of ‘Peter’). http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/YKS/ER … index.html

[imported_YURIMember]

Sorry Simon, my friends have drawn a blank with this Pocklington chap,no references can be found.

[imported_SimonMember]

Thanks for the feedback, Yuri, Perceval.
Perceval that info you sent is very interesting. The place you mention is very close to us so I will go and check it out. Interestingly I was at Lincoln Castle a couple of weekends ago (see my comments on the Lincoln Da Vinci Code story) and saw one of the only four surviving copies of the Magna Carta.

What can you tell us about your own researches?

Cheers,

Simon

[imported_PercevalMember]

I’m following up a possible case of medieval sacred landscape geometry (churches and stuff – not in Yorkshire).

I’m looking for historical context (always useful!), with some success – trying to find out the who, what, when, where and why of it.

[imported_YURIMember]

Hi Perceval, I’m doing the same sort of stuff (mosty in Somerset)… Not only do we have St Michael churches in a straight line but also, spaced out 11 miles apart; it has to be design, not coincidence.

I have visited many churches in my time; too many to count; how many times have you read the church guide book and it say something along the lines of,

“The oldest part of this church is the Norman bits, blah blah, … built upon the site of an earlier wooden Anglo Saxon church, that was destroyed in fire…’

This is so common in my area, its almost as if, post 1066, all the wooden saxon churches were destroyed and the Normans started from scratch; but I’ve never read anything anywhere to confirm this… odd, methinks.

[imported_SimonMember]

Hi Perceval,

I dropped up to Bainton this morning and checked out the de Mauley tomb in St Andrew’s church. Turns out it claims to be the tomb of Edmund de Mauley who was killed in the battle of Bannockburn in 1314. I took some photos which I’ll try and post later and he had distinctive crossed legs – although the accompanying blurb (which I’ll also try and scan and post in due course) specifically says that actually the crossed legs are not an indication that the person depicted was a “crusader”. Lovely church and well worth the visit.

Cheers,

Simon

[imported_SimonMember]

Just to follow up…here are the scan of the information sheet and a photo of the Mauley tomb (note tonsured head and crossed legs). I seem to recall reading something in Selby saying that the Darcy knight fought for the Scottish so maybe Darcy and de Mauley were on different sides at the battle of Bannockburn which would be odd (at least to modern sensitivities) as they were practically neighbours.

[imported_YURIMember]

hmmmm?

Not a crusader? What’s a monk doing with a shield and sword?

[imported_MalcolmMember]

aprapo of nothing I happen to be sitting a couple of yards from Pocklington street down here in devon , and re the Normans ,yes they did flatten just about all the old English Churches and cathedrals to rebuild , sort of putting there mark on the place type of thing

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