Chibburn Preceptory

Low Chibburn Preceptory of the Knights Hospitallers.
The Knights Hospitallers of the Order of St John, were established in approximately 1023 in Jerusalem as a Christian religious order caring for
the poor, sick or injured pilgrims to the Holy Land. Gradually the Hospitallers established a military wing, becoming Defenders of the Kingdom
of Jerusalem similar and allied to the Knights Templar, but differed by maintaining there humanitarian role. To finance there exploits in the
Holy Land the Knights Hospitallers received many gifts of land and estates in England to be worked to generate revenue.
  
The first record of Chibburn Preceptory is in 1313 and for over two hundred years the manor performed its dual functions of raising revenue
for the Order and caring for the poor and sick. The preceptory was lost the Hospitallers at the Dissolution of the Monasteries and in 1553 the
land was granted to Sir John Widdrington. In1691 it was destroyed by the Frenchman Jean Bart.