History

West Peckham Preceptory was founded circa 1408 by Sir John Culpeper

John Culpeper

John Culpeper lived from 1366 to 1414. He was styled "Sir John Culpeper of Oxon Hoath, Knight", a knight in the court of King Henry V of England. The family's name is believed to derive from the herb.-External links:*...

 of Oxon Hoath

Oxon Hoath

Oxon Hoath is a Grade II* listed Châteauesque-style former manor house with 73 acres of grounds at West Peckham, Kent. The spellings Oxenhoath, Oxen Hoath and Oxonhoath are common alternatives. The spelling Oxenholt was also used it the past. The manor is a former royal deer park...

, West Peckham. It was held by the Knights Hospitaller

Knights Hospitaller

The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta , also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Order of Malta or Knights of Malta, is a Roman Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. It is the world's...

s, and used by them as an administrative centre. The preceptory remained in the possession of the Knights Hospitallers until it was dissolved by King Henry VIII

Henry VIII of England

Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...

 circa 1523. At the time of the dissolution, it was valued at £63 6s 8d

£sd

£sd was the popular name for the pre-decimal currencies used in the Kingdom of England, later the United Kingdom, and ultimately in much of the British Empire...

and had an income of £60 per annum.