St Thomas was born in London around 1120. He was well educated and soon rose through the hierarchy of the Church. Thomas eventually became Chancellor to King Henry II and in 1161 was made Archbishop of Canterbury. Thomas came into conflict with the King over the power of Rome in both the Church and State and this caused him to seek exile in France. He returned in1170 only to be brutally murdered in his Cathedral by four Knights who believed the King wanted him dead. St Thomas was made a saint in 1173 and the Cathedral remains an important focus for pilgrimage throughout the world. He is the Patron Saint of four Cities in the Commandery.
St Thomas a Becket is the Southern Commandery of The Grand Priory of Knights Templar in the United Kingdom. It incorporates Greater London and the Houses of St Augustine (South East of England) and St Berard of Clairvaux (Central South and West of England). It also acts as a hub for Templars who visit from overseas. The Commandery is proud to offer support to International child development through charities that specialise in this field. Currently this includes Ghana, India, Burma and Bangladesh. Once a year, the Commandery hosts an annual dinner in commemoration of the Order's own Pilgrimage trust.
The Commandery takes pride in its knowledge and promotion of the history of Templars which includes taking Templar visitors to many of the less well-known places of interest. Included within tour Community is the stunning Temple Church in London. The surrounding area became the English headquarters of the Templar Order in the 1160's. The Church of All Hallows near the Tower of London, dates from 675 AD and is where the Templars were imprisoned during the papal suppression of the Order in 1307. The Commandery covers a large portion of the country and has a significant wealth of Templars. It administers its business through the Commandery in London and through two active Houses.
St Augustine House was established in the 1970s. Its charitable contributions include support for homeless people. The House hosts the Annual Charity Dinner, which takes place at Canterbury Cathedral each Adventide and the Sunday Templar service of Admission and Investiture that takes place in the historical setting of the ancient Preceptory of Temple Ewell. St Augustine’s House is the venue for St George's Day luncheon and is also a popular venue for the annual Retreat and Prayer Day. Historically, Temple Ewell was founded around 1164 as an important Preceptory near Dover. The Templars acquired the manor in 1163 that was originally established by William, the brother of King Henry. King John is thought to have made his submission to the Papal Legate on 15th May 1213 'in the House of the Templars’ which is contested between Temple Ewell and a nearby site of a previous Round Templar Church. After the suppression of the Templars, the Knights Hospitaller took over the Preceptory. However, the Dissolution of the Monasteries under King Henry VIII saw the buildings stripped of materials for other uses. Nearby Dover and Canterbury played a great part in Templar History. In Central Southern England, Chandlers Ford was an influential and rich parcel of land.
The House of St Bernard of Clairvaux, enjoys the patronage of members from a wide area extending from Cornwall to the Thames Valley. Its epicentre is Bristol which has been a large contributing asset to the charitable work of the Grand Priory and has hosted International Order events. Templar History is significant in the area and includes Templecombe which in 1338 shows 368 acres belonging to the Preceptory. It was responsible for managing the Templar estates in the West Country, as Poole was a port much used by the knights in transporting Knights to the Crusades. Around 1145 Robert Earl of Gloucester gave land (Temple Fee) to the Knights which 200 years later became part of the City Bristol. The City became the administrative centre for the Order throughout south west England and during the Crusades, Bristol was a natural embarkation point for the beginning of the journey to the Holy Land. The spectacle of the Knights departing for the Crusades provided a carnival atmosphere in the city and ensured the popularity of the Templars in the local community. Other sites in the West including Templecombe, supported Templars with Wool (sold at La Rochelle-France) and Agriculture.
Knights, Dames and Friends of the Commandery are encouraged to engage specifically in close co-operation with their local community’s charities and churches. This is especially important taking into consideration the exceptionally large geographical area (never much so than during the Covid 19 pandemic). National events are well attended by the membership which has included a significant number of regularly active Officers of the Grand Priory.