A superb Knights Templar church, originally 615 AD then 1180 AD. The Templars built a number of partly round churches (as the Jerusalem Holy Sepulchre
Image details
Contributor:
Philip Chapman / Alamy Stock PhotoImage ID:
2HE0XFNFile size:
92.6 MB (4.9 MB Compressed download)Releases:
Model - no | Property - noDo I need a release?Dimensions:
4528 x 7149 px | 38.3 x 60.5 cm | 15.1 x 23.8 inches | 300dpiDate taken:
2 June 2021Location:
Garway, HerefordshireMore information:
The earliest record of a monastery here is in 615 AD, but the arrival of the Knights Templar in 1180 clarifies the history of the church . The Templars built a number of partly round churches (similar to the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem) including this one. The round foundations can be seen clearly on the north side of the church, and the original carved chancel arch still survives. The current church is no longer round, probably 13th century, including the massive tower which was once separate from the main church building. Though looking “fortified” by the addition of pseudo-battlements and there are plenty of places where the towers clearly had secondary military functionality, but the tower at Garway was originally separate from the rest of the church and designed specifically for defensive purposes. A challenge for visitors is to spot some of the unique carvings inside the church, some quite difficult to spot: a "green man", a sword, a fish, and a snake.