The Thames is a long river, and it flows past many places, and I shall feel most surprised if you have ever seen the little mansion it flows by at Bisham.
The village is a tiny offshoot, far from the A404 just up the road which carries metal boxes on four wheels between Maidenhead and Oxford, yet just a stone’s throw away. It is not a stately home in the National Trust or English Heritage sense; it is well loved and well used. These days, it heaves a sigh of relief and watches youngsters in track suits shambling happily around its corridors and wearing out its ancient staircases, for it is one of five national sports centres. The elite of the football, hockey, tennis, squash and rowing worlds spend their time there. It feels like Hogwarts for the sports world.
It deserves such a retirement, for it has served its time as one of the greatest houses in England, despite its modest size.
It is called Bisham Abbey, though it never was, and borrows its name from the Augustinian Priory which stood nearby once, for a snatch of two hundred years or so. And though it is not huge, its location, so near Windsor and London, right on the super-highway of the Thames, yet with the serenity of an utterly private retreat, made it rather a prized jewel, and again and again we see it gifted as a sign of status. Or, in poor Anne of Cleves’ case, as a trinket to soften the blow.
It is the Abbey’s stories which stand it out stark and alone.
And they begin when Stephen was in charge, for all his faults. A loyal knight, Robert De Ferrers, gave it to the Knights Templar, a gift to the Holy Church.
You are familiar with them? They were monk-warriors. The whole mediaeval God-War fusion crusade business seemed to make it all right for monks to kill, for it was principally in defence. The primary job of the Knights Templar was to defend pilgrims travelling to and from the Holy Land.
Beloved of Dan Brown and historical conspiracy theorists, they are shrouded in oddness. The man who started the whole thing was a French knight. It’s thought they looked after the Shroud of Turin for a century or so, and they kept building round churches fat with symbolism. Their headquarters was in Jerusalem and the exotic dogged them.
But somewhere along the line, they accumulated a lot of stuff. it started with Henry II conferring lands and property on the order, and then Richard I gave them immunity from local laws. King John was staying at the Temple in London when the summons came to Runnymede to sign the Magna Carta.
And they owned Bisham. The great hall, with a gorgeous vaulted porch, dates from their time, in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. When they restored the great ceiling beams, they found smoke on the ones in the centre: the hall was so ancient it had once had a central hearth.
The power of the Templars became considerable. There were stories of corruption; one can imagine what abuses might have taken place if one were moneyed, armed and immune from prosecution.
And so Bisham was taken from them.
And you would think, wouldn’t you, that the king would give it along with the rest of the Templar hoards to the Knights Hospitallers?
But no. The little house by the Thames was one of only two properties – the other being Temple in London -put aside for a nobleman.
Of which, more anon.
To be continued
Kate Shrewsday 
I’ve seen a game there!!!
Phil says the England squad used to train there. Lovely place, isn’t it?
Salivating already! Great photos too — they create an impression of foursquare solidity and dependability.
It’s well worth popping in if you’re ever in the area, Chris. So many different constituent parts of one building in such a small area. Incredible place.
So many different houses and properties you’re highlighting–spoilt for choice really!
i love this houses
Hi Julia! Thanks for leaving a comment. It’s a fabulous house, but it has its dark side…..
Dark side? Can u be more specific?
I shall be writing about it during the next few days 🙂
great start,but now I WANT THE REST
Sitting here trying to decide where to start! So much to relate!
and it is still not over….
Being one who loves old houses, and the caregiver of one, they must have quite a few full-time care takers to keep this mansion looking so beautiful. I really love the brick wall with the leaded glass window. Thanks for the history lesson!!!
Pleasure 🙂 The building needed a great deal of care and restoration over the years. But it has been worth it, hasn’t it?
Yes it has. We have become a throw away society and it is encouraging to see people make the effort to maintain a building with so much history.
So beautiful! That is a house to inhabit in one’s imagination at all times! 🙂
It has a much darker side to tell, Brenda….
So many of us do. Still, one doesn’t pitch the past away, despite the copious flaws.
What a stunning variety of stone, brick, and tile work, all in one structure. Fascinating.
Amazing place with the layers of history clearly visible in the walls and rooflines, PT. But it has laboured under a curse for centuries…
It’s enchanted and enchanting.
Beautiful to look at, Gale 🙂
What a wide variety of construction techniques used to hobble it together ~ it’s got great charm and presence. Inside and Out.
I look forward to the continuation of this tale, Kate.
It is such a fascinating place to look at, Nancy. Layers upon layers of time, all there in the walls for all to see.
I keep looking around every corner for Macaulay…….
Ha! He wasn’t allowed on this one, Judith – I had to ask special permission to come along and photograph!
Pleasant-looking enough – one wouldn’t think it would be all sinister.
Appearances can be deceptive, Col 😀
I read this aloud to Mme. Ross, who said it would be nice to have lived along the river in these times because of the ability to travel the river by boat and park at a dock and stuff. I think we both have a weakness for life near water.
Next to the Thames is still a prestige place to live, Rob: though the flooding this winter has proved expensive and distressing for everyone there. Mme Ross is quite right: o have lived there in earlier times would have been so convenient. This would have been a prime location.
I remember when I first read Dan Brown I googled The Knights Templar because I was so interested in learning a little bit more. It was all so new to me! This house is a wonderful piece of a very complex puzzle. I’m glad you’re going to add more. 🙂
I see you’ve read the three part, Debra. The hous dis packed full of stories.