Excuse me if you know this:-The Knights Hospitallers were a charitable organisation providing shelter and care for pilgrims.
The shrine of Thomas a Becket at Canterbury drew many pilgrims,re Chaucer`s Canterbury Tales.
They had bases in Malta and Rhodes,presumably for pilgrims to the Holy Land.
What the significance of this particular shield might be I am not at all sure.
It looks as if it has recently been painted,is this so?
I don`t know to whom you could enquire,but what a wonderful find.
Perhaps The Diocese?Good luck and do let us know.
Viktoria.