About Us
A little bit about Freemasonry in general
and Roderick Hill Lodge in particular
The exact origins of Freemasonry are lost in antiquity and many books have been written on when and where it took its rise. It is generally accepted that the roots of Freemasonry are at least medieval, stemming from the stonemasons that built our castles and cathedrals.
The earliest surviving English unabiguous written record of an initiation into Freemasonry is 1646 – that of Elias Ashmole (founder of the Ashmolian Museum). There is a list of people present who were clearly already members, so Freemasonry obviously and clearly predates this.
Today, Freemasonry in England is governed by The United Grand Lodge of England, which was founded in 1717 in London. The UGLE website is a great source of information on Freemsonry generally.
Freemasonry in Chepstow has a long and varied history. The first recorded regular Lodge in the town was chartered in 1818 – Wellington Lodge No. 707.
Masonry was particularly popular at the time and during the Napoleonic Wars soldiers, officers and men of both sides, were often Freemasons.
The Lodge met at The Beaufort Arms and then the Bell Inn but it closed in 1837 due to a lack of members. There was no Lodge in Chepstow then until 1887, when Striguil Lodge No. 2186 was formed. The Lodge was founded with seven members and still exists today.
Since that time Masonry has gone from strength-to-strength in the town, today there are three active and dynamic Lodges meeting in a purpose-built Masonic Hall in the heart of the town – with a combined membership of around 200.
Roderick Hill Lodge No. 8619 was Consecrated on 14th March 1975. We meet at the Masonic Hall, 36 School Hill, Chepstow NP16 5BZ. Our meetings are held on the Second Friday in March and the Second Monday in January, February, April, May, September, October, November and December. Like most Lodges we do not meet during the summer.
The Core Values of Freemasonry
Integrity
Friendship
Respect
