So little is known about the original Order in England that most documents give bare facts against dates. As such, it becomes dry, statistical information and it becomes a boring read. Here then is the original history in timeline form, centring mainly on the complex at Clerkenwell and the most noteworthy Priors of the Order.
THE ORDER OF ST JOHN IN ENGLAND, 1144 - 1559 1144: Jordan de Bricett and his wife grant five acres near “the Well of the Parish Clerks of the City of London” to the Order. The Priory built at ‘Clerkenwell’ becomes the headquarters of the Order in England.
Eastern view of Priory of Clerkenwell, 17th century engraving. 1312 onward: The Hospitallers inherit Templar lands, including the Commandery of Egle, later raised to a Bailiwick. The Bailiff of Egle was (and in the Venerable Order, still is) a member of the Chapter-General.
1381: Robert Hales, Grand Prior and also Lord High Treasurer of England tries to levy a highly unpopular poll tax, the third in five years. The peasants revolt. During Wat Tyler’s Rebellion, the hospital and church at Clerkenwell are burned, and Robert Hales is decapitated.
1504: The Gate House at Clerkenwell [seen above, c.1786] is completed by Grand Prior Thomas Docwra [above].
1511: King Henry VIII, like his father before him, is named “Protector of the Order” of St John. 1528: King Henry VIII meets Grand Master Philip de L’Isle Adam at Clerkenwell. He gifts 19 bronze cannon to the Grand Master to replace the cannon lost at Rhodes.
1534: The Pope refuses to annul King Henry VIII’s marriage to Catharine of Aragon, so Henry splits his country from the Catholic Church. By the parliamentary Act of Supremacy, he becomes the head of the Protestant Church of England. 1540: The (Roman Catholic) Order of St John in England is dissolved by Act of Parliament. The Order’s estates are given to the Crown.
King Henry VIII dissolves St John, Queen Mary I reinstates it, and Queen Elizabeth I suppresses the Order.
1557: Catholic Queen Mary I, by Royal Letters Patent, reinstates the Order and returns its estates. 1559: Protestant Queen Elizabeth I suppresses the Order again and confiscates its estates. But she does not revoke the Letters Patent. This means that legally, the Order is considered ‘dormant’.
THE ORDER OF ST JOHN IN ENGLAND, 1144 - 1559
1144: Jordan de Bricett and his wife grant five acres near “the Well of the Parish Clerks of the City of London” to the Order. The Priory built at ‘Clerkenwell’ becomes the headquarters of the Order in England.
1312 onward: The Hospitallers inherit Templar lands, including the Commandery of Egle, later raised to a Bailiwick. The Bailiff of Egle was (and in the Venerable Order, still is) a member of the Chapter-General.
1381: Robert Hales, Grand Prior and also Lord High Treasurer of England tries to levy a highly unpopular poll tax, the third in five years. The peasants revolt. During Wat Tyler’s Rebellion, the hospital and church at Clerkenwell are burned, and Robert Hales is decapitated.
1504: The Gate House at Clerkenwell [seen above, c.1786] is completed by Grand Prior Thomas Docwra [above].
1511: King Henry VIII, like his father before him, is named “Protector of the Order” of St John.
1528: King Henry VIII meets Grand Master Philip de L’Isle Adam at Clerkenwell. He gifts 19 bronze cannon to the Grand Master to replace the cannon lost at Rhodes.
1534: The Pope refuses to annul King Henry VIII’s marriage to Catharine of Aragon, so Henry splits his country from the Catholic Church. By the parliamentary Act of Supremacy, he becomes the head of the Protestant Church of England.
1540: The (Roman Catholic) Order of St John in England is dissolved by Act of Parliament. The Order’s estates are given to the Crown.
King Henry VIII dissolves St John, Queen Mary I reinstates it, and Queen Elizabeth I suppresses the Order.
1557: Catholic Queen Mary I, by Royal Letters Patent, reinstates the Order and returns its estates.
1559: Protestant Queen Elizabeth I suppresses the Order again and confiscates its estates. But she does not revoke the Letters Patent. This means that legally, the Order is considered ‘dormant’.