Penhill Preceptory is a Grade II listed building in the Yorkshire Dales National Park local planning authority area, England. First listed on 13 February 1967. Ruins.

Penhill Preceptory

WRENN ID
upper-pedestal-tallow
Grade
II
Local Planning Authority
Yorkshire Dales National Park
Constituency
Richmond and Northallerton MP: Rishi Sunak (Con)
Country
England
Date first listed
13 February 1967
Type
Ruins
Address
Penhill Preceptory, West Witton, North Yorkshire
OS grid reference
SE 035 887
Coordinates
54.29461, -1.94658
Source
Historic England listing

Also on this page: flood risk · radon risk · weather exposure · detailed attributes ↓

Description

Penhill Preceptory is a ruin of a Knights Templar preceptory dating from around 1200. The structure is built of rubble and has a rectangular plan, with walls standing up to 750 millimeters high. It features a south doorway with bases for a single shafted order. Inside, there is a base for a stone altar and a sanctuary step, along with stone coffins and grave covers. The association with the Templars has influenced the local place-name, Temple. The chapel was dedicated to Our Lady and Saint Catherine. After the Knights Templars were suppressed in 1312, the property was transferred to the Knights Hospitallers and eventually came into private ownership. The remains of the chapel were uncovered in 1840, although the adjoining residential buildings were not revealed. The site is scheduled as an Ancient Monument.

Local climate

Penhill Preceptory sits in a wetter-than-average part of the UK, with an average of 990 mm of rain a year. This makes it wetter than 79% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is greater than that of 66% of listed buildings.

It experiences an average of 57 freeze-thaw cycles a year, more than 97% of listed buildings. Of these, 35 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.

Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.

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