Estune Command Preceptory No. 354
Meetings
Installation Meeting
Fourth Thursday in September
Regular Meetings
Fourth Thursday in March
Fourth Thursday in May
All Meetings start at 6.30 p.m
Officers Appointed 2023
Eminent Preceptor
E.Kt. Jonathan C Mansell - Installed September 2023
Principal Contacts
- Registrar: E.Kt. Iain Disdel
- Almoner: E.Kt. Gary Baird
Officers
- Chaplain E.Kt. Barry L T McCormack
- 1st Constable E.Kt. Christopher R Fox
- 2nd Constable Kt. Terry W Gunner
- Treasurer E.Kt. Richard J Ellis
- Registrar E.Kt. Iain W Disdel
- Marshal E.Kt. Darrell J Hinder
- Deputy Marshal E.Kt. Colin G J Wilson
- Almoner E.Kt. Gary J Baird
- 1st Herald Kt. Brian C Lazenby
- 2nd Herald Kt. Davide Pinar
- Standard Bearer (B) Kt. Ben M Grimes
- Standard Bearer (VB) Kt. Timothy M G O’Neill
- Captain of Guards Kt. Stephen P Harris
- Guard E.Kt. John M O’Neill
March 2024 Meeting
On 28th March 2024 (Maundy Thursday), Estune Command Preceptory were very proud to welcome the Provincial Team on their first visit of the year, plus received the Sword of Chivalry from Antiquity Encampment.
A good number of Provincial Officers (18) plus other Great Officers were processed into the Preceptory. The Right Eminent Knight Paul Jeffery Davis, the Provincial Prior for Somerset was welcomed by the Eminent Preceptor E Kt Jon Mansell plus the rest of the Provincial team.
A delegation of Knights from Antiquity Encampment No.1 under the leadership of Eminent Commander E Kt Richard Thuston presented the sword into the safe keeping of Estune Command Preceptory.
Main item of the night was to install Companion Stewart Galway as a Knight of the Temple. The ceremony was conducted by the Eminent Preceptor E Kt Jon Mansell, assisted by E Kt Colin Wilson (Charge) and E Kt Iain Disdel (Cup of Memory). The Provincial Prior for Somerset, R E Kt Paul Davis, conferred the Accolade using the Somerset Sword of Chivalry. The symbols were presented by Kts Terry Gunner and Tim O’Neill to a high standard.
53 Knights attended the ceremony and had a very enjoyable festive board afterwards.
History - 1957 to ....
The Preceptory was consecrated at Nailsea on the 15th April 1957, the ceremony being performed by the Very High and Great Seneshal, Sir Eric Studd, assisted by officers of Great Priory and of Provincial Priory.
There were a total of 16 founders and, following the consecration, the Provincial Prior, Very Eminent Knight G.Travers Biggs, installed the first Eminent Preceptor, E.Kt.K.J.Barrah. Another of the founders was E.Kt.H.L.Fuller who had been appointed to serve as Provincial Grand Master in the Mark Degree two years earlier.
The name of the Preceptory is derived, in part, from “Estune” the old Anglo-Saxon name for Long Ashton, as recorded in the Doomsday Book, and which means, “the tree in the Garden”. The name also acknowledges the existance of an ancient camp, Cadbury Camp, which was sited in the area and which, like all other camps, would have included a command post.
The banner, dedicated in the presence of the Right Eminent provincial Prior on the 28th September 1995, includes an illustration of a sword pointing downwards to an oak tree which, in turn, arises from a representation of the Doomsday Book bearing the date 1086.