Upcoming Talk - April 2026
7.30pm at Harwood Methodist Church
Thursday 23rd April 2026
Speaker: Michael Astrop
The Knights Templar – By Committing to a Life of Penury they Became Rich and Powerful
The Knights Templar were originally established in the twelfth century to protect pilgrims, but the Order is remembered today for heresy, fanaticism, and even satanism. This talk tries to correct the record. The Templars, famous for their battles on Christendom's eastern front, were in fact dedicated peace-mongers at home. They influenced royal strategy and policy, created financial structures, and brokered international peace treaties.
The talk looks at the rise of the Order in the holy land, how they organised, the key battles they fought, their impact in Britain and their violent suppression. It will address the conspiracy theories and try to answer the question of why an organisation that only existed for 193 years is still talked about today.
