The Brethren
At the Heart of the Lord Leycester
The Lord Leycester was founded in 1571 as an almshouse for soldiers injured in the wars of the Tudor age during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. The military veterans who call the Lord Leycester home are known as the Brethren.
In 1571, the first twelve Brethren arrived and lived in simple partitions within the halls of the Lord Leycester. In return for a home and a monthly honorarium, the Brethren became part of a unique communal way of life established by our founder, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester.
More than 450 years later, that community continues.
Hundreds of Brethren have passed through these halls, each adding their own story to the history of the Lord Leycester. Life here has changed considerably since the days of the first twelve: today, each Brother has their own private apartment and lives independently while remaining part of this enduring community of former servicemen and women.
Our Brethren Today
The Lord Leycester remains home to a community of military veterans from a range of services and backgrounds.
Brother Peter Taylor – Senior Brother | Former Royal Navy Police
Brother John Maughan – Deputy Senior Brother | Former Armed Forces
Brother Ken Browne – Former Irish Guards
Brother Gordon Hill – Former Royal Air Force
Brother Stephen Tappin – Former Canadian Armed Forces
Interested in joining the Brethren? Please contact the Master at master@lordleycester.com to enquire about eligibility and becoming part of the community.
Living History
The Brethren are not simply part of the Lord Leycester’s history – they are the continuation of it.
Today, they remain an active part of life across the site. The Brethren welcome visitors, lead guided tours and share the stories of the remarkable buildings they call home, often drawing on their own experiences and knowledge to bring more than 900 years of history to life.
You may also see them wearing their distinctive ceremonial robes, continuing traditions that have been part of life at the Lord Leycester for centuries.
The Brethren remain active beyond our walls too, representing the Lord Leycester at civic, community and military occasions throughout Warwick and further afield.
A Community More Than 450 Years in the Making
Although life at the Lord Leycester has changed enormously since 1571, many of its traditions continue.
The Master and Brethren still gather in our 900-year-old Chapel of St James for prayers following the order prescribed by Robert Dudley. New Brethren undergo a period of probation before being formally inaugurated into the community and receiving their robes.
These traditions connect the Brethren living here today with the hundreds of veterans who have called the Lord Leycester home before them – preserving not simply the history of the charity, but a living community stretching back more than four and a half centuries.
Discover the Brethren of the Past
Hundreds of Brethren have lived at the Lord Leycester since the arrival of the first twelve in 1571, leaving behind an extraordinary record of military and social history.
Discover their individual stories, military service and lives at the Lord Leycester through our online Brethren database.
https://www.lordleycesterdatabase.co.uk/brethren