Early History of the Site
Information can be found here on the early history of the site: from the Iron Age to 1157 when Matilda granted the land to the Templars.
The Knights Templar and the Knights Hospitaller
A brief history of the Knights Templar and how they became associated with the site at Cressing and how the Knights Hospitaller came to aquire the land.
The Barns and Medieval Carpentry
The 2 magnificent Barns dominate the site. This section will not only explain their history and why they were built, but the technical aspects of the build, and Cecil Hewitt’s and Adrian Gibson’s work on dating the Barns.
The Tudors and Beyond
After the Hospitaller’s manor was dissolved, by Henry VIII, the site was acquired by the Smyth family. This section will look at how the site was developed from the Tudor period to the end of the 19th century.
The 20th Century
The site as a farmstead; Frank Cullen’s stewardship of the site and his awareness of how important the site is and how Essex County Council acquired the site for posterity.