Visiting Freemasonry – A Meeting at Abingdon Guildhall
Members of our Lodge enjoyed a visit to a meeting in Abingdon on Thursday this week, joining a very well-attended evening with visiting Brethren travelling from as far afield as Portsmouth and Warwickshire.
One of the things that makes visiting other Masonic Lodges so interesting is that you never quite know where it might take you — and sometimes the building itself is almost as fascinating as the meeting.
A Lodge Meeting Steeped in History
This particular meeting is held at The Guildhall in Abingdon, a building surrounded by centuries of history.
Each of its historic rooms has its own story to tell, with the Roysse Room having a history dating back as far as 1440. The historic section of the Guildhall includes six rooms: the Abbey Room, Bear Room, Council Chamber, Old Magistrates’ Court, Roysse Room and the Mayor’s Parlour.
A more recent section of the building, constructed in 1966, includes the Abbey Hall, which today is operated as a cinema.
It certainly makes for a rather special setting for a Lodge meeting!
Visiting Other Lodges
Visiting is an important and enjoyable part of Freemasonry.
That certainly doesn’t mean you have to spend every spare evening attending Lodge meetings around the country! But visiting occasionally gives you the opportunity to meet new people, experience how other Lodges do things and enjoy the wider friendship and camaraderie that exists within Freemasonry.
It can also take you inside some fascinating buildings that you might otherwise never have the opportunity to see.
Some Masonic Lodges meet in purpose-built Masonic Centres that are home to several different Lodges. Others meet in historic buildings that have had many different uses during their lifetime, while some meeting places are associated with just one Lodge.
That variety is part of what makes visiting so interesting — every Lodge has its own history, traditions, character and atmosphere.
Ending the Evening at the Festive Board
Following the meeting, we enjoyed a lovely meal together at the Festive Board, giving everyone the opportunity to relax, chat and get to know our hosts and fellow visitors.
A raffle was also held during the evening, raising more than £230 for the Lodge’s Charity Relief Chest.
A thoroughly enjoyable evening, a fascinating venue and another reminder that Freemasonry extends well beyond your own Lodge.
Our thanks to our hosts in Abingdon for making us so welcome.
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