Torphichen Preceptory in the mist ...

Torphichen Preceptory is an unusual remnant of a little known corner of Scottish history. It is associated with the Knights of Hospitaller of the Order of St John of Jerusalem. The order maintained just two establishments in Britain, the other being in London.
Torphichen is therefore the sole Scottish link with an order whose name resonates through history : from it's formation in the Crusades to its occupation of Malta in the face of Turkish siege in 1565. The order was granted a charter to build a Preceptory in the 1140s. A church had already been here as far back as 400 A.D and was said to have been visited by King Arthur during the 500s.

Coming from such a small village in Scotland it shouldn't be easy to walk past these buildings without asking questions about them . I was guilty of this during my youth , but not anymore , I am indeed very proud to be associated with this village and I moved here ( up in the hills from here ) for six years . My father was brought up by his Granparents here , in the village square ( just yards from here ) and some of his family still live in the village , although they are a dying breed as the houses are being snapped up by incomers who want nothing to do with this beautiful place , they just want to live in the countryside . A shame really as the true village spirit in places like Torphichen are slowly dying out and I'm sorry to say will never return ...
We were welcomed with open arms here as it was indeed like a homecoming and maybe one day I will move back ...