Cressing Temple Barns in Essex is a wonderful day out and it’s completely free!
Learn about its links with the Knights Templar, explore the beautiful Walled Garden and enjoy a coffee and a cake in the Tiptree Tea Rooms!
Cressing Temple Barns – Location
Address
Cressing Temple Barns, Witham Road, Braintree, Cressing, Essex, England, CM77 8PD
The grounds are open from 9.30am – 5pm. Picnics are welcomed and dogs are allowed on leads.
Entry to Cressing Temple Barns is completely free and so is the parking!
The History of Cressing Temple Barns in Essex
The Knights Templar were a Catholic military order created in 1118. They were originally created to protect Christians travelling through the Middle East.
Before the Knights Templar, Knights in general were seen as thugs, stealing and looting their way around the countryside. However, the Knights Templar made their members swear to live in poverty and obedience. They completely reshaped the work of a ‘knight’.
The Knights Templar became an elite fighting force. In later years they morphed into a powerful political and economic force throughout Europe. The thirteenth century stories of King Arthur’s Knights, were believed to be based around the gallantry and morality of the Knights Templar.
The Barns – Cressing Temple Barns in Essex
The Grade I listed thirteenth century Wheat and Barley Barns are the oldest known timber framed barns in the UK.
While you wander around the intricately designed barns take a peek into what it would have been like to live like a member of the Knights Templar.
Walled Garden
Take a stroll around the fully restored Tudor gardens and enjoy all the different installations, plants and ponds. It’s a great place for a picnic or to be a fly on the wall watching newly married couples taking their wedding snaps.
The thing we really enjoyed on our trip to Cressing Temple Barns was the produce cart. Located just outside the entrance to the garden it is stocked with foods and plants grown in the garden itself!
There were things like chillies, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, apples, cut flowers and plants and a simple honesty box if you wanted to take some home with you – which of course we did!
The Barn Tea Rooms
The Tiptree Tea Rooms at Cressing Temple Barns are open 9.30am – 4pm every day. We found the tea rooms to be very busy so if you are looking to make this part of your day, it might be worth calling ahead and booking a table.
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Thinking of visiting somewhere else in Essex? Why don’t you have a look at Tilbury Fort!
