Yeaveley (Stydd) Commandery

In the Doomsday Book Yeaveley was made up of two manors, Yeaveley and Stydd. During the reign of King Richard I (the Lion Heart) (1189-1199), in 1190, Ralph le Fun of Yeaveley gave the Order of St John a house at Stydd, together with lands, woods and mills. These together formed the nucleus of the commandery of Yeaveley. The commandery was to receive a substantial increase in its revenues when in 1268, Sir William Meynell gave the Order significant property in the nearby town of Ashbourne.

In 1338 when Prior de Thame inquired into the state of the Order in England the Commander of Yeaveley was Fra' Henry de Bakewell who was both commander and chaplain. He was born of 'gentle' parents and was professed priest who before joining the Order. The other fully professed member of the Order living at Yeavely was Fra' Thomas de Batheley, a serving brother who had served for five years in the Convent at Rhodes before being appointed to his post at the commandery. both brothers received an annual allowance of £1 for their robes, 6s 8d for their mantles and 8s for other expenses.

The others living at the commandery included John Bray who was a donat. a layman who had given his property to the Order iin return for living at the commandery and being supported bythe Order. he was given 22s 8d for his robe and other expenses, was allowed to wear the white six-pointed cross of the Order but was excused compulsory attendence at chapel because he was not a poroffessed member of the Ordr. Then there were two corrodaries William Warde and William Pistori and two pensioners William of Impyngton and Robert Brex.

The Tudor mansion was erected on the site of the former commandery after the Dissolution.