The beautiful Roman city of York for many centuries was capital of the north of England and it prospered as the hub of an industrial and commercial centre outside of London. Masonic legends also centred on York, the best known being the founding of The Most Ancient Grand Lodge of All England by Prince Edwin in 926 AD. There was, however, a real and live York Grand Lodge.
     Evidence reveals a lodge active in York in 1705, twelve years before the establishment of the Premier Grand Lodge in London in 1717 and the general consensus is that this evolved to become the York Grand Lodge in 1725. It is only from that date on that Grand Masters are mentioned, previous heads of the Lodge being referred to as ‘President’. This York Grand Lodge fell into dormancy about 1738 and was revived as the Grand Lodge of All England at York in 1761, collapsing finally in 1792.
     During this thirty year period a new Lodge, the Union Lodge No. 504, was constituted by the Premier Grand Lodge in London, its warrant auspiciously dated 7th July 1777. This lodge, always in amity with the Grand Lodge at York, inherited the latter’s artefacts and documentation after the demise of the institution. In 1870 it changed its name to the York Lodge, No. 236.
     The moment Michael Baigent and I entered the premises in Duncombe Place, an enclave opposite York Minster, we were struck by the special ambiance and the old furniture dispersed throughout. Most impressive was the stupendous Temple on the ground floor which houses furnishings from the revival days of the Grand Lodge at York: the obligating pedestal specially made by J. Consitt in 1770 for the installation of the Grand Master, Sir Thomas Gascoigne, the three mahogany candlesticks topped with silver sockets and a framed warrant dated 27th November 1790 issued by the Grand Lodge of York, signed by the Grand Master Thomas Kirby, authorising ‘Fortitude’ Lodge to hold meetings.
     Facing the entrance are boards and banners: of these, the most impressive is the lodge board of the revived Grand Lodge of All England at York, depicting the ‘antiquity of Masonry in York’ and painted in 1778 by one of its members, the York artist, Thomas Beckwith. It is headed with a depiction of the York Minster where the early meetings of the masons may have taken place.
     The title The Grand Lodge of all England founded by Prince Edwin AD 926 is framed by a garland of oak leaves and mistletoe, said to be the only two trees indigenous to the country.
     The design has been adapted for the illustration of the bookplates of the York Lodge Library.
     The members of the York Lodge already possessed the basis of their now well known and impressive collection of masonic books when they first moved to Duncombe Place. It was the first purpose built masonic edifice in York built 1862 and naturally it included a library. The impressive mahogany bookcases, housing important volumes, were a gift by the one time librarian G. Johnson who also donated some 200 books to the lodge before his death in 1968. Today, the Revd. Neville Barker-Cryer is Chairman of the Heritage Committee and thus responsible for the book collection.

The York Rolls

It was time for David Hughes, long standing curator and father figure of York Lodge, to show us some of the oldest and most valuable artefacts in the collection. With a strong sense of anticipation we watched David carefully open the safe doors to reveal a concentrated array of masonic objects, books and albums, closely arranged in rows and files. The undoubted prized items were the York Grand Lodge Manuscripts or York Rolls, well documented now by several scholars. Six of the original ten rolls in the York Lodge collection are known as the Old Charges. The function of these old charges was to serve as rules and regulations by which masons were governed. They were read to new apprentices in operative lodges, as they are today traditionally read to the Master Elect at every installation meeting.
     The York Roll No. 1, the oldest, is of the early seventeenth century though dated 1600 on the metal box that contain it. It is seven feet long, consisting of four parchment pieces sewn together. It was presented to the lodge by the famed Dr. Francis Drake, a Warden in the original York Grand Lodge and the instigator and first Grand Master of the revived Grand Lodge of All England. Roll No 4, dated 1693 is well known because it caused some controversy when it was initially seen as proof that that women were admitted into the Craft. The relevant words in the text stated ‘... that he or she is to be made a Mason’. It has since been established that this was a mistranslation of the Latin; the word ‘she’ should be read as ‘they’.
     Of great interest are the additional rolls of which Roll No 7, not an ancient charge but the first and earliest recorded minutes of the Grand Lodge of All England, is of particular importance.
     It starts on 17th March 1712. It records by name and venue the subscription of one hundred and twenty eight new and joining members and officers, with subsequent minutes until 4th May 1730. The roll consists of nine strips stitched together with a total length of 18 feet. It is here recorded that on St John the Evangelist day 27th December 1725 ‘The Society ... unanimously chose The Worshipful Charles Bathurst Esq their Grand Master ...’ the first use of the term and the effective start of the York Grand Lodge.
     These rolls, notwithstanding their importance and rarity, constitute only a small part of surviving documents, jewels and other artefacts once belonging to the York Grand Lodge. There are examples of several officers jewels some dated 1729, one Master’s jewel and others from the revival period dated 1780. A square and rule have legible inscriptions embedded into the wood bronzed by time. A number of Grand Lodge seals bear a Latin text and the date 926 AD. The many other documents include summonses, certificates, petitions and the minute book of the revived Grand Lodge from 1761.
     The safe also contained two huge albums containing a large collection of early masonic prints and portraits. All the prints ranging from Hogarth to Heath are labelled with details and dates. The album also contains several theatrical posters, one in particular is unusual. Highly decorative with a central image of Fur the Clown in full colour, it is a poster for a circus under the patronage of Free and Accepted Masons with the interesting added patronage of the Officers and Brethren of the Ancient Order of Foresters. It is dated 26th September (1886).
     The rich history of Freemasonry in York has been the subject of many articles and books. It was a particular privilege to be welcomed by David Hughes and Michael Curley, the present Master of York Lodge, and witness first hand so much we had read about ... and there remains more yet to be said and written!


Those who are interested in visiting York Lodge can get in touch with Bro David Hughes by e-mail dhughes67@btinternet.com or telephone 01904 632 021.