Temple Belwood, Belton. In 1144 Roger de Mowbrary gave a cow pasture at Belwood to the Knight Templars of Balsall, Warwickshire. The Templars later built and ran a monastic institution on this site which became Temple Belwood. In around 1500 it was taken from the Templars and given to the Knight Hospitaliers. In 1536 after the dissolution of the monasteries the Temple and the lands were given to Henry Vavasour. It stayed in this family for several generations before being bought by Robert Ryther. After passing through the generations the house was rebuilt in 1787 by architect Samuel Foster. It was extended to include east and west wings. The house was later sold where it was used unsuccessfully as a boarding house before it was a hostel for borstal boys working on local farms during the First World War. It was later used as a boys school before it shut 1925. The house fell into disrepair before being demolished completely in the 1970’s when the M180 motorway was built over the land.
Image courtesy of North Lincolnshire Museum service
