In view of this rarity, and their importance in supporting the monastic communities of the preceptories (examples of which are also rare), all camerae exhibiting archaeological survival are identified as nationally important.Some form of occupation of the site has occurred since Roman times, a burial to the south-east of the present building is thought to date from then.

[1] The larger part of the parish of Strood was the rural area stretching south from the urbanised bridgehead along the River Medway.

[3] Following The Anarchy of 1135 to 1153 the Crown was in debt to the Knights Templar and probably this was why the manor was given to them in 1159 by Henry II.

[4] It is not known precisely why Strood was rebuilt, perhaps to provide suitable lodging for dignitaries travelling along Watling Street between London and the continent via Dover.

[1] It is possible that the tenants were the Creyes, known to be the wealthiest family in Strood but who held not feudal lands.

[7] Some years after the suppression of the Templars, the Grand Prior of the Hospitallers complained that the king was still occupying ex-Templar lands at Denny, Cambridgeshire and Strood.

At the dissolution of the monasteries the Abbey of Denny was dissolved and both it and Temple Manor granted to Edward Elrington in 1539.

Following a conviction for conspiracy against James VI and I 1603 Lord Cobham's property was seized by Robert Cecil.

Using a London lawyer called Hyde, Cecil sold it on to Ludovic Stewart the future Duke of Richmond.

[4] The Blakes may have been sitting tenants for some years, Isaac was a Churchwarden and a dealer in iron-ware and possibly scrap.

[4] The main section of the building has a stone-built vaulted undercroft which supports the single large room above.

[2][a] The upper room (reached by an external stair) was the higher status area, providing accommodation for travelling knights and officials.

[11] The better lit eastern end was probably a chamber, similar to those provided at episcopal and royal palaces for visiting guests.

[11][b] The chamber at the eastern end has two splayed recesses, tentatively identified as a wash baison and a privy within a screened off garderobe.

[12] Illumination is from wide windows, externally lancet and internally square headed with the original oak lintels still in place.