Watling Street Lodge No 1639 is the Roman Road Lodge
The Lodge was consecrated on the 23rd October 1876 at the Cock Hotel in Stony Stratford.
It was named after the important road, built by thr Romans, and a main highway for over 2000 years.
The historical minutes from this meeting, along with other records, are preserved in the Library at the Stony Stratford Masonic Centre, except for one missing minute book covering the years 1905 to 1917. A notable entry in the December 1890 minutes references the production of a lodge banner, with no further details until April 1927, when the Lodge crest first appeared on the Lodge Summons. This suggests the banner was dedicated sometime between the missing years.
The banner's upper portion features a bible, the square and compasses; symbols with clear Masonic significance. The left-hand side, adorned with three castles and a chevron overlaid with the compasses, mirrors the Crest of The United Grand Lodge of England and the Provincial Grand Lodge of Buckinghamshire. In heraldry, a tower signifies Safety and Grandeur, while a chevron represents Protection, Harmony, and Compassion. The right-hand side showcases the Buckinghamshire Swan, a motif common to several Lodge Banners within Buckinghamshire, reflecting the heraldry of the ancient families associated with the region's nobility.
In an interesting twist of history, the Lodge requested a dispensation in 1976 to move their November meeting to the 23rd October, the date of their consecration. However, Grand Lodge initially responded with confusion, stating no record of Watling Street Lodge's consecration existed. It was only after presenting the historical minutes that a centenary warrant was issued. This incident underscores the importance of preserving Lodge records and highlights the unique history and challenges faced by Watling Street Lodge. The design of the Lodge banner, while not explicitly recorded, is speculated to represent a blend of the fundamental Masonic symbols with the emblems of the United Grand Lodge of England and Buckinghamshire's county, illustrating the Lodge's deep-rooted connections and traditions.
If you would like to be part of a Freemasons' lodge like this and a global community that has its roots firmly in the ground in Buckinghamshire, please join us by following this link: https://buckspgl.org/join
It was named after the important road, built by thr Romans, and a main highway for over 2000 years.
The historical minutes from this meeting, along with other records, are preserved in the Library at the Stony Stratford Masonic Centre, except for one missing minute book covering the years 1905 to 1917. A notable entry in the December 1890 minutes references the production of a lodge banner, with no further details until April 1927, when the Lodge crest first appeared on the Lodge Summons. This suggests the banner was dedicated sometime between the missing years.
The banner's upper portion features a bible, the square and compasses; symbols with clear Masonic significance. The left-hand side, adorned with three castles and a chevron overlaid with the compasses, mirrors the Crest of The United Grand Lodge of England and the Provincial Grand Lodge of Buckinghamshire. In heraldry, a tower signifies Safety and Grandeur, while a chevron represents Protection, Harmony, and Compassion. The right-hand side showcases the Buckinghamshire Swan, a motif common to several Lodge Banners within Buckinghamshire, reflecting the heraldry of the ancient families associated with the region's nobility.
In an interesting twist of history, the Lodge requested a dispensation in 1976 to move their November meeting to the 23rd October, the date of their consecration. However, Grand Lodge initially responded with confusion, stating no record of Watling Street Lodge's consecration existed. It was only after presenting the historical minutes that a centenary warrant was issued. This incident underscores the importance of preserving Lodge records and highlights the unique history and challenges faced by Watling Street Lodge. The design of the Lodge banner, while not explicitly recorded, is speculated to represent a blend of the fundamental Masonic symbols with the emblems of the United Grand Lodge of England and Buckinghamshire's county, illustrating the Lodge's deep-rooted connections and traditions.
If you would like to be part of a Freemasons' lodge like this and a global community that has its roots firmly in the ground in Buckinghamshire, please join us by following this link: https://buckspgl.org/join