Fun Facts

Lychgates

If you have ever wondered why some churches have these gates (known as 'lychgates'): these were used to shelter bodies before they were interred in the churchyard!

The word 'lychgate' is derived from Old English, and literally translates to 'corpse-gate'. Corpses would be put on a 'bier' (a sort of stand upon which a coffin would be placed), and carefully guarded, to prevent animals/body-snatchers from trying their luck. There were no mortuaries during the Middle Ages, and it was considered unhygienic to keep a deceased person in their home for any longer than was necessary.

The photograph below shows the lychgate in Beckley.

Merton's Knights Templar Connection

Sometime between 1156 - 1166 AD, Sewel de Oseville (Lord of Wendlebury) "granted to the Templars in free alms his stream called the Eastbrook, so that they might lead it through his land from near the south side of Alchester towards the dam of their mill at Merton". In 1185, it was also noted that the Templars held a windmill in the parish of Merton.

The Knights Templar was a military order of the Catholic faith, which was founded circa 1119. The Templars were active for two centuries, and were comprised of 15,000 - 20,000 members (of whom around 10% were knights). As well as fighting in the Crusades, the Templars held vast swathes of land all over Europe, and received generous donations from the reigning monarchs of the day. They were even exempt from paying taxes!