Temple Church (St. Catherine's) on Bodmin Moor

In late March 2006 I had just finished a tiring Copper Trail walk on Bodmin Moor. Heading home on the A30 highway, an impulse made me detour briefly to drive through Temple village. Once it was on an ancient route across Bodmin Moor but it has long been a backwater. I revisted in early April, after another walk, this time on East Moor. In the 12th century it was a place of some significance, boasting a small settlement and church built by the crusading Knights Templar (what on earth were they doing in Cornwall!). The Templars held the right to conduct marriages without licence or banns. As a result dubious marriages were made and the church acquired such a reputation that locals would say of a woman of ill repute "send her to Temple Moors", the ultimate ostracism. After Parliament passed the Marriage Act in 1753, the church saw little use and became ruinous. Sadly, rather than restoration, the Victorians pulled it down and built a new church. I say sadly because it would be wonderful to have a round Templar church in Cornwall. The saving grace is that stone from the old church was re-used and stones bearing degraded figures and crosses have been incorporated into wall of the outbuilding to the south side of the church.

More images of Temple Church

Temple church in a sheltered hollow below the village

More Images of