The Autonomous Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem Grand Priory of England and Wales held its Annual General Assembly on the North Wales coast this past weekend.
Saint Margaret’s Church in Bodelwyddan, known locally as the Marble Church, was home to the Knight Templar AGA on October 12th 2024.
The service was open to the public to attend where they witnessed the investiture ceremony that saw some 16 new Novices, seven Knights and Dames, and even a Squire welcomed into the Order.
Deputy Chancellor, Chevalier Russel Erwood KCT, said: “It’s always great when we get to officially welcome new members. This year was particularly amazing because we made 16 Novices, a new record for a single ceremony. We also welcomed our youngest member and made them a Squire.”
To join this Order of Knights Templar you need to be a minimum age of 18. However, if you are the child of a Knight or Dame of the Order and at least 16-years-old you can be made a Squire. Should they wish to continue within the Order, Squires are then knighted once they turn 18.
The Order, which has been going in its current form since the 1960s, then held their celebration banquet at the Faenol Fawr Hotel also in Bodelwyddan.
As well as giving members of the Order a chance to catch up with old friends and greet new ones over a three-course meal, they also raise thousands of pounds for good causes through their famous charity auction.
A lot of what is auctioned is made and donated by members of the Order, with much of what’s on offer being created by the Order’s Novices as part of the task they all complete in order to be knighted at the following year’s AGA.
This year’s auction raised a staggering £4270.50!
The AGA also saw the announcement of its first female Prior.
Dame Sally Smith DOT was proposed and unanimously elected by Chapter at their meeting on Friday 11th October 2024. She will be installed as Prior of England at their annual meeting in Fleetwood on Saturday 11th October 2025.
If you would like to be considered for membership please download an application form here.
Pictures to follow.
Comments