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EARLY HISTORY The manor house was built around 1260 as a community house for the Knights Templar , with the foundation stone laid by King Edward II Of England himself. The brass plaque once affixed to it can still be seen at Denchworth . When the Templar order was suppressed in 1307 , King Edward II took over the manor rights, granting them to various relatives. In 1310 the building was used as a place of confinement for Queen Elizabeth of the Scots, wife of King Robert The Bruce , along with her step-daughter Princess Marjorie and sister-in-law, Lady Christine Of Carrick . They had been captured on the Isle of Rathlin during the Scottish Wars Of Succession , and were placed in the charge of the King’s Yeoman , John Bentley , for two years, until removed to Windsor . In 1335 the manor was bought by William Montacute, 1st Earl Of Salisbury and in 1337 he founded ''Bisham Priory'' for Austin Canon s alongside his manor house. When William died, he was buried at the priory, as were many other Earls of Salisbury, including Richard Neville, Earl Of Warwick , who was buried in April 1471 . Despite holding the relics of saints, the priory never really became a centre of Pilgrimage (many other churches also held relics of the same saints, including two different locations which both claim to have their skulls). DISSOLUTION Bisham Priory was Dissolved on July 5 th 1537 , however, six months later on December 18 th it was refounded as a Benedictine Abbey . This was not to last though as it was finally Dissolved on July 9 th 1538 . The Abbot of Bisham, John Cordery is said to have cursed the building thus "As God is my witness, this property shall ne’er be inherited by two direct successors, for its sons will be hounded by misfortune." as he was dragged from it. Nothing remains of the abbey church or its associated buildings. Henry VIII granted the adjoining manor house to Anne Of Cleves as part of her divorce settlement from him, and it was later bought by the Hoby family, who lived there until 1768 . Elizabeth I was a regular visitor in the time of the Hoby family. MODERN HISTORY The manor house is a grade one Listed Building now run by Leisure Connection on behalf of Sport England , and is one of five National Sports Centres . The facilities include:-
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