Ashby de la Launde is a small village, part of the civil parish of Ashby de la Launde and Bloxholm, in the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. The village is situated just west of Digby, and east of the A15 and B1191 roads. History In Domesday Book the village is called "Ashebi", comprising two manors, in the possession of Ralph Paynel and Kolsveinn of Lincoln. The Lord of the Manor, William de Essheby, (or Ashby), founded the Knights Templar preceptory Temple Bruer, around 1150, joining the order himself, and increasing his endowment to it before his death. In time, the preceptory, became the second wealthiest in Britain, funding the Crusades from sheep rearing and wool exports to Europe. A descendant, also named William de Essheby, gave the Knights Templar the advowson of the village's church, dedicated to Saint Hybald, in return for the Templars providing, for ever more, a chaplain to perform divine service in the private chapel, dedicated to St. Margaret, in the de Essheby's manor house. This manor house, built in 1220, was 'a rectangular two-storeyed semi-fortified manor with first floor external stair access', similar in style to the surviving manor at Boothby Pagnell, Lincolnshire. The advowson returned to the family, in the 13th century, but, after the death of his son, Jordan de Essherby once again gave the Church to the Templars. In the 13th century, Cecilia, daughter of Jordan de Essheby, married Walter de la Laund (or Launde), Lord of the Manor of Laceby. Upon the death of her father circa 1260, Cecilia, his sole heir, inherited the Ashby manor, and the settlement became known as Ashby de la Launde. In the 15th century, descendant Thomas de la Launde, commenced a suit against the Knights Hospitaller, who had been given many of the Templars assets after their dissolution, to regain the advowson of the church, but he died before it was completed. In 1493, another Thomas de la Launde commenced a similar suit. The de la Launde's finally lost their land holdings in the area in the reign of Henry VIII. The King granted the manor to John Bellow and Robert Brocklesby in 1543, John Bussey then held it from 1555, until, in 1564, the estate was purchased by Thomas York. In 1580, George, the son of Thomas York, sold the estate to Edward King. Ashby Hall Ashby Hall was built in 1595 by Edward