We are the Autonomous Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem, Grand Priory of England and Wales. More commonly known as the Knights Templar of England and Wales.

Members of our Order are dedicated to the core values of the Knights Templar, being courage, commitment to Christian values, and sense of duty and chivalry. 

As Knights Templar’s we focus on making a positive difference in our modern world by living out the ancient principles of honour, commitment to our Order, and charitable giving.

At the core of our mission is the commitment to Christian values, and upholding these traditional values. We channel our strength into upholding the legacy of the original Knights Templar.

We welcome you to get involved with our order  and we are always looking for new supporters or members to help with ongoing charitable initiatives, including fundraising arranging events, direct donations, and volunteering. 

As modern day Knight Templars, we aim are more than just an organisation, we are an Order that continue the ancient Knight Templar values. We support all our members of the Order, and we perform charitable works both locally and Internationally.

The Knights Templar of England and Wales is more than just an organisation. We believe in the power of collaboration and mutual support, working together to create a better Christian focused world. We  place a strong emphasis on education and personal development, offering opportunities for members to grow and contribute in meaningful ways. 

Our Order fosters a sense of belonging and brotherhood, while ensuring that we stay focused on our ultimate goals. 

If you are interested and intrigued  by our historical past, and you wish to learn more about our modern, day work and our Order, our values, and charitable initiatives we welcome you to contact us. 

Whether through becoming involved, supporting our projects, or simply learning more about the Knights Templar, we welcome you to join us in making a difference in the world.

Charitable Giving

Charitable giving lies at the heart of our Knights Templar tradition. From the earliest days of the Order, the Poor Fellow Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon embraced lives of service, pledging  resources to the defence of the faith and the care of those in need.

While we no longer ask new Knights to surrender all their possessions, we do ask every member to uphold that same spirit of generosity and self sacrifice. Before  knighthood, each Templar makes a personal commitment to raise  a minimum of £1,000 each year for charitable causes. This  pledge is not simply a financial target it is a living expression of our values and a modern continuation of the Templar ideal of placing service above self.

At present, members support a wide range of local and international charities according to their own calling, from community projects and humanitarian aid to the defence of Christian heritage and relief in times of crisis. From early next year, the Order will begin the process of establishing its own registered charity. This will allow us to focus our collective efforts more effectively under the Templar name, while continuing the tradition of practical compassion that has defined our Order for centuries.

Our Templar History

The Knights Templar were founded in the early 12th century to protect Christian pilgrims travelling to the Holy Land and to defend the faith. What began as a small band of warrior monks but quickly grew into one of the most powerful and respected orders in medieval Europe.

We were renowned for our courage, strict discipline and financial expertise, as  Templars we built a vast network of fortresses, estates and banking operations across Christendom.

Our sudden destruction came not through military defeat, but through calculated betrayal. King Philip IV of France had borrowed heavily from our Order, and found himself unable to repay his debt. Seeing both an opportunity to erase what he owed and also to seize our Templar considerable wealth, he orchestrated our downfall. On Friday 13 October 1307 he ordered the simultaneous arrest of all Templars throughout France on fabricated charges of heresy, blasphemy and corruption.

Under relentless pressure from the French crown, Pope Clement V eventually suppressed the Order. After years of imprisonment, torture and show trials, the last Grand Master, Jacques de Molay, was burned at the stake in Paris in March 1314 on the Île de la Cité, within sight of Notre-Dame. From the flames he summoned both King Philip and Pope Clement to answer before God within the year. Both men died soon afterwards,  Clement V within a month, and Philip IV before the year had ended.

In the centuries that followed, the falsehood of the charges became clear. The Church has acknowledged the injustice done to the Templars, and the Order’s original ideals of faith, honour and sacrifice have never been extinguished.

Today the Knights Templar of England and Wales continue that living tradition, carrying forward the same commitment to Christian values and service in the modern world.

Freemasons, Illuminati and the Modern Knights Templar

Understanding the Differences

Many people encounter the names Freemasons, Illuminati and Knights Templar in books, films and online discussions, often mixed together. In reality they are distinct. This page clarifies the differences so visitors can understand what the modern Knights Templar of England and Wales actually are — and what we are not.

The Knights Templar

The original Knights Templar were a medieval Christian military and religious order founded in the early 12th century. Their purpose was to protect pilgrims and defend the Christian faith in the Holy Land. They followed a strict monastic rule, took vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, and combined religious life with military service. The Order was suppressed in the early 14th century after political and financial pressure from the French crown.

Modern Knights Templar

The Knights Templar Grand Priory of England and Wales is a modern Christian chivalric Order. We draw inspiration from the values of the original Templars. Courage, Christian faith, duty, honour and service  and apply them in the present day through charitable work, mutual support and personal commitment.

We are openly Christian in character. Membership involves a clear commitment to Christian values and practical service. We are not a secret society, nor do we claim political power or hidden influence. Our focus is on living out chivalry and faith through concrete acts of charity and community support in Britain and beyond.

Freemasonry

Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that developed from the guilds of stonemasons. It emphasises moral development, brotherhood, charity and self-improvement. Most forms of Freemasonry require a belief in a Supreme Being but are not tied to any single religion. Masonic lodges use ritual, symbolism and progressive degrees.

While some Masonic bodies have degrees or orders that use Templar names and imagery, mainstream Freemasonry is organisationally and philosophically separate from the historic Knights Templar and from modern Christian Templar Orders such as ours. Freemasonry is not a Christian order; our Order is.

The Illuminati

The Bavarian Illuminati was founded in 1776 as an Enlightenment-era secret society. Although officially suppressed in the late 1780s, many believe the Illuminati never truly disappeared and that its influence and networks have continued in various forms to the present day.

Claims about a continuing Illuminati often involve ideas of hidden influence, elite control and long-term agendas. Whether one accepts these claims or not, as the modern Knights Templar of England and Wales we have no connection  historical, organisational or ideological with the Illuminati or any group operating under that name.

Our Order is open about its Christian foundation, its charitable work and its values. We do not operate in secrecy or for political or controlling purposes.

Christian Orders of Knighthood and Related Traditions

Understanding the Differences

Several historic and modern groups use the language of knighthood and the Templar name. Some are rooted in the Crusades, others in legend, and others within Freemasonry. This page explains the main distinctions so visitors can clearly understand the character of the modern Knights Templar of England and Wales.

The Knights Templar

The Knights Templar (Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon) were founded in the early 12th century. Their primary role was the armed protection of Christian pilgrims and the defence of the Holy Land. They combined monastic vows with military service and became one of the most powerful and disciplined orders of the medieval period.

The original Order was suppressed in the early 14th century. Today the Knights Templar Grand Priory of England and Wales continues the Templar tradition as a modern Christian chivalric Order focused on faith, honour, personal duty and practical charitable service.

The Knights of Malta

(Sovereign Military Order of Malta)

The Knights of Malta descend from the medieval Knights Hospitaller (Order of St John), founded to care for sick and poor pilgrims in Jerusalem. Over time they also took on a military role and later ruled Rhodes and then Malta.

Today the Sovereign Military Order of Malta is a Catholic order and a sovereign subject of international law. Its primary work is large-scale humanitarian, medical and social assistance around the world. It maintains diplomatic relations with many countries and focuses on healthcare, disaster relief and aid to the vulnerable.

Knights of Jerusalem / Order of the Holy Sepulchre

“Knights of Jerusalem” most commonly refers to the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, a papal order of knighthood. Its purpose is to support the Christian presence in the Holy Land through prayer, financial assistance and practical projects. Other smaller groups sometimes use similar names; these should not be confused with the historic Templars or the Order of Malta.

Knights of the Round Table

The Knights of the Round Table belong to the legendary tradition of King Arthur and Camelot. They are a literary and mythical ideal of chivalry, courage and the quest for the Holy Grail, not a historical military or religious order founded in the Crusades. While the stories have inspired countless people and some modern ceremonial or fraternal groups, they have no institutional continuity with the medieval Orders of the Temple, the Hospital or the Holy Sepulchre.

Masonic Knights Templar

Within Freemasonry, particularly in the York Rite, there exists a body known as the Knights Templar. It is a Masonic order of chivalry that uses Templar names, Christian symbolism and ritual. Membership is generally restricted to Freemasons who profess the Christian faith and have progressed through the required degrees.

Although it shares names and some imagery with the historic Templars, it is organisationally part of Freemasonry and is distinct from non-Masonic Christian Templar Orders. The modern Knights Templar of England and Wales are not a Masonic body