Freemasons' Hall London

The Freemasons' Hall in London, located at 60 Great Queen Street, not far from Covent Garden, is one of the most iconic Masonic buildings in the world. The Freemasons' Hall in London is one of the largest Masonic temples in the world and undoubtedly the largest in Europe. Despite its size and beauty, the Freemasons' Hall in London is first and foremost the headquarters of the United Grand Lodge of England, the Masonic body that claims to be the guarantor of traditional and regular Freemasonry throughout the world. The Freemasons' Hall in London has got more than one reason to make us sit up and listen.

The origins of the London Masonic Temple

It seems that before the birth of the Grand Lodge of London in 1717 (or more probably 1721), the first speculative English Freemasons had a consecrated place in London known as 'Masons Hall'. This is known from the diary of Elias Ashmole (1617-1692), who was summoned to a meeting there on 10 March 1682. Neither the location nor the size of this venue is known, and the pompous title 'Masons Hall' may have referred to a very modest place.

It is known, however, that the Grand Lodge of London had no such place, and that lodges met in taverns after which they were named. According to the official version, it was at the Goose and Gridiron tavern that the four founding lodges met on 24 June 1717 to form the Grand Lodge of London.

 
The Temple in 1775

It was not until 1775 that the Grand Lodge of London acquired two houses separated by a garden on Great Queen Street. They planned to connect the two houses with a large hall that would serve as a Masonic Temple. The architectural competition was won by Thomas Sandby (1721-1798) and the first Masonic Temple in London was opened on 23 May 1776. It was extended in 1820 with a new building designed by the neoclassical architect John Soane (1753-1837), who was also responsible for the Bank of England building and the dining room at 10 Downing Street.

In 1860 the Grand Lodge, which had become the United Grand Lodge of England in 1813, acquired new land next to the Temple and decided to demolish Soane's additions in order to integrate the 1775 buildings into a larger whole. This project followed the plans and drawings of Frederick Pepys Cockerill (1754-1827), who had died thirty years earlier.

This second Masonic Temple in London was in use until the late 1920s. However, it had been weakened by a fire in 1883 and was partially demolished in 1910 to make way for a new building. In 1919, the Duke of Connaught, who was Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England from 1901 to 1939, launched a major fundraising campaign to build a new Masonic Temple, still on the same site.

The architectural competition launched in 1925 was won by architects Henry Victor Ashley (1872-1845) and Francis Winton Newman (1873-1953), and work on London's third Masonic Temple began in 1927 and was completed in 1932. The Duke of Connaught originally conceived it as a memorial to the 3325 English Freemasons who died in the First World War and named it the 'Masonic Peace Memorial'. It was renamed Freemasons' Hall after the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939.

Freemasons' Hall in and of itself

The architecture of Freemasons' Hall is a magnificent example of the Art Deco style, characterised by clean geometric lines, luxurious materials and elaborate decorative motifs. The Grand Temple, at the heart of the building, is particularly impressive with its ornate ceilings, stained glass windows and symbolic statues. It can hold 1,700 people and is used for the ceremonies of the Grand Lodge and the governing bodies of the various associated Masonic orders (Royal Arch, etc.).

The Grand Temple

But this magnificent building has many other rooms, including no fewer than 21 Temples used by London Lodges. Some are very large, such as Temple No. 1, which seats 600, and some, like the Grand Temple, are equipped with magnificent organs by the famous organ builders Henry Willis & Sons, who are responsible for the organs in many English cathedrals, as well as this in the Albert Hall in London.

The Freemasons' Hall also has a number of simpler temples, which are used for instructional sessions for the Brethren. And, of course, the building contains a very rich library and museum with many Masonic artefacts of great historical value.

Visit the Freemasons' Hall in London

A monument of such architectural and historical richness could not remain hidden from the public. Guided tours of the Grand Temple are organised and the museum is open to the public free of charge, which is rare enough to warrant mention. The library is also open to the public, but there is no lending service and books can only be consulted on request.

But Freemasons' Hall is above all the headquarters of the United Grand Lodge of England, and Masonic activities are frequent and numerous. The 21 secondary Temples and the instruction rooms are not accessible to the public, and remain reserved for the Brethren.

Freemasons' Hall is a true architectural and historical treasure, bearing witness to the rich history of Freemasonry in England and around the world. Whether you're a Mason or a lover of history and architecture, a visit to this iconic venue offers a fascinating insight into a world steeped in symbolism and tradition.