We were very privileged to be able to hold our last meeting in the wonderful grounds of Stydd Hall.
Recently repaired with the aid of an Historic England grant the Hall was built on the site of Yeaveley Preceptory, also known as Stydd Preceptory. Preceptory is a term used for the headquarters of certain orders of monastic knights - here of Knights Hospitaller. The Knights Hospitaller got their name from the monastic order's early origins in Jerusalem, where they tended to sick and wounded Christian pilgrims at the peak of the Crusades.
The moated site retains some evidence of its past with standing remains of the preceptory chapel and some medieval masonry being included in the southern elevation of the seventeenth century hall. After passing through varied ownership the building was drastically altered in the mid nineteenth century by John Goodall with additions that included the two cant bays and the rebuilt parapet wall.
In recent years the hall has been part of a tenanted farm with poor maintenance contributing to its inclusion on the Heritage at Risk register in 1998. The ownership of the hall has now passed to the long-term tenants who have now be able to complete urgent repairs with the assistance of Historic England and the roof covering has been replaced and structural work completed.
Further work is still to be undertaken including repairs to the listed garden wall and tower and it is hoped that this can be completed in the near future allowing for the removal of the hall from the at risks register.