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Knights Templar Church
Travel Information and nearby accommodation
This tiny church had a big part to play in English history. The Knights Templar Church was the place where King John was forced to submit to the Papal Legate in 1213.
A bit of background may be in order; King John and Pope Innocent III locked horns repeatedly over the issue of papal authority in Britain. In 1207 Innocent invoked the ultimate Papal threat; he put England under interdict.
In 1211 Innocent sent an Italian churchman named Pandulf to England in an attempt to settle the dispute. He was unsuccessful, but two years later, in 1213, John finally agreed to submit to the pope. Pandulf came again to England, and met John here, at the small church on the heights above Dover, where he officially received John's submission on the Pope's behalf. This action meant that John essentially gave England to the Pope as a fiefdom, and agreed to become a papal vassal. This acquiesence by John enraged his nobles, and helped deepen their sense of grievance that ultimately led to the Magna Carta.
In an interesting sidenote, Pandulf was later named Bishop of Norwich, in which role he proved to be one of King John's staunchest supporters in the king's ultimately unsuccessful battle with his barons.
The church itself is tiny, not the sort of place you would imagine as the scene of great historical events. Little remains beyond the outline of the foundation walls on the turf. These show a very, very small nave and a larger, rounded sanctuary, or east end. The rounded east end is a traditional feature of Templar churches.
Knights Templar Church is an open access site.
Citadel Road, Western Heights, Dover,
Kent,
England, CT17 9DX
About Knights Templar Church
Attraction Type: Church
Location: Just off Citadel Road on he western Heights of Dover. A short walk from the harbour.
Location
map
OS TR313408
Photo Credit: Thomas Carriage, licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Licence
Heritage Highlight: The site of King John's submissiion to the Pope
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Nearest Accommodation to Knights Templar Church
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Nearest Tourist
Information Centre
Dover
Tourist Information Centre
Old Town Gaol
Biggin Street
Dover
Kent
England
CT16 1DL
Tel: 01304 205 108
Fax: 01304 255 409
Email: tic@doveruk.com
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