The year of the consecration of the Temple Church, Geoffrey, the superior of the order in England, caused an inquisition to be made of the lands of the Templars in this country, and the names of the donors thereof,[29] from which it appears, that the larger territorial divisions of the order were then called bailiwicks, the principal of which were London, Warwic, Couele, Meritune, Gutinge, Westune, Lincolnscire, Lindeseie, Widine, and Eboracisire (Yorkshire). The number of manors, farms, churches, advowsons, demesne lands, villages, hamlets, windmills, and watermills, rents of assize, rights of common and free warren, and the amount of all kinds of property possessed by the Templars in England at the period of the taking of this inquisition, are astonishing. Upon the great estates belonging to the order, prioral houses had been erected, wherein dwelt the procurators or stewards charged with the management of the manors and farms in their neighbourhood, and with the collection of the rents. These prioral houses became regular monastic establishments, inhabited chiefly by sick and aged Templars, who retired to them to spend the remainder of their days, after a long period of honourable service against the infidels in Palestine. They were cells to the principal house at London. There were also under them certain smaller administrations established for the management of the farms, consisting of a Knight Templar, to whom were associated some serving brothers of the order, and a priest who acted as almoner. The commissions or mandates directed by the Master of the Temple to the officers at the head of these establishments were called precepts, from the commencement of them, “_Præcipimus tibi_,” we enjoin or direct you, &c. &c. The knights to whom they were addressed were styled _Præceptores Templi_, or Preceptors of the Temple, and the districts administered by them _Præceptoria_, or preceptories. [Illustration: The ancient inscription on the Temple Church as it stood over the door leading into the cloister. ON THE 10th OF FEBRUARY, IN THE YEAR FROM THE INCARNATION OF OUR LORD, 1185, THIS CHURCH WAS CONSECRATED IN HONOUR OF THE BLESSED MARY BY THE LORD HERACLIUS, BY THE GRACE OF GOD PATRIARCH OF THE CHURCH OF THE RESURRECTION, WHO HATH GRANTED AN INDULGENCE OF SIXTY DAYS TO THOSE YEARLY VISITING IT. Translation of the inscription on the Temple Church, as it stood over the doorway leading into the cloister.]