Freemasons' Hall, London
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Freemasons' Hall in
Parts of the building are open to the public daily, and its preserved classic Art Deco style, together with its regular use as a film and television location, have made it a tourist destination.
In 1846, the World Evangelical Alliance was founded here.[1]
Original concept
In 1775 the premier[2] Grand Lodge purchased a house fronting the street, behind which was a garden and a second house. A competition was held for the design of a Grand Hall to link the two houses. The front house was the Freemasons' Tavern, the back house was to become offices and meeting rooms. The winning design was by Thomas Sandby.
Current building
The current building, the third on this site, was built between 1927 and 1933 in the
It is an imposing
Points of interest
Grand Temple
Central to the present building is the Grand Temple, meeting place for
Many non-Masonic organisations also use the Grand Temple for numerous events as diverse as Fashion shows and Polytechnic award ceremonies. Bronze doors, designed by Walter Gilbert each weighing one and a quarter tonnes, open on to a Chamber 123 feet (37 m) long, 90 feet (27 m) wide and 62 feet (19 m) high capable of seating 1,700.[4]
The ceiling cove is of
A large pipe organ, built by leading organ builders
-
Interior of Grand Temple -
Doors to Grand Temple -
Grand Temple dais, including the pipe organ -
Ceiling
Other Temples
In addition to the Grand Temple, there are a further 26 masonic temples (formal lodge meeting rooms) within the building, used by Lodges and Chapters. All are highly ornate in their various art deco styles, and no two are identical. Amongst the temples which are of particular note, Temple No 1 was very large (seating up to 600) and contained a series of portraits of former
Temple No 3, although of no unusual style in itself, contains a nineteenth-century
Temple No 16 has a distinctive and highly decorated barrel vault ceiling; Temple No 17 was largely funded by the Freemasons of Buckinghamshire, and has a very large carved swan (the symbol of Buckinghamshire) on one wall; it also enjoys a more than usually ornate decorative style, with extensive oak panelling, and is used in particular by the most ancient lodges in London, including the three remaining lodges (of four originals) which pre-date 1717 and the formation of the Grand Lodge itself; until 2018, Temple No 23 was the smallest (seating approximately 35 people) and contained a series of portraits of former Grand Secretaries,[5] but in that year this temple was renamed "The Kent Room" and made available for public examination as part of the Library and Museum of Freemasonry (although it can also still be used for lodge meetings); at the same time, three brand new small temples were created (with a capacity of around 20 people in each), numbered as Temples 25, 26, and 27, as provision for meetings of very small Lodges; these new temples were created out of space that was formerly two residential flats, as the number of residential staff living in the building has greatly reduced.
In addition to these 26 Temples, and the Grand Temple, there are several very simple and plain temples reserved for 'Lodges of Instruction' and 'Lodges of Rehearsal'. Unlike the Grand Temple and the Kent Room (of which public tours are available daily) the other temples (and the rehearsal temples) are not normally open to the public, as they are in constant demand by private London Lodges and Chapters for their regular meetings. Approximately 1800 lodges and chapters meet regularly in London, and a high proportion of these meet at Freemasons' Hall.
Museum of Freemasonry
The Museum of Freemasonry is a museum, library and archive based in Freemasons' Hall covering Freemasonry and other fraternal orders. The Museum is a Charitable Trust registered with the Charity Commission (Registered Charity number 1058497).
In 2007 the collection of the Museum of Freemasonry was recognised through the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council’s Designation Scheme as being of outstanding quality and significance and of national and international importance.[6]
The Museum is open to the general public and entry is free of charge. The Museum has a collection of Masonic artworks, ceremonial objects and regalia, as well as everyday objects with
The Library is open to the public for reference use and users are required to register. The Library contains a comprehensive collection of printed books and manuscripts on every facet of Freemasonry in England, as well as material on Freemasonry elsewhere in the world, and on subjects associated with Freemasonry or with mystical and esoteric traditions, including the
The Museum provides a
The Museum of Freemasonry also presents workshops, events, and a major thematic exhibition, as well as several smaller exhibitions during the course of the year. Admission to all exhibitions is free.[9]
Other facilities
In addition to the Grand Temple, the other temples, and the Library and Museum, the building contains extensive administrative offices, storage space for the property of the many hundreds of lodges meeting in the building, a masonic shop (open to the public during normal trading hours), board rooms, workshops, archives, a café-bar and an entire floor of charities administration, where the combined masonic charities have their administration.
The Metropolitan Grand Lodge of London is also administered from the building. It has around 40,000 Freemasons as members, which makes it the largest of the Masonic provinces. [10]
Architectural fittings
Throughout the building Robert Adams (Victor) range of floor springs are used to control the doors, including the "Sceptre Victor." Windows are also controlled by Robert Adams geared fan light operators.[11]
In popular culture
In 2016, a part of the film Assassin's Creed was filmed in the Grand Temple. Re-labeled as "The Grand Templar Hall", the Temple is used as the antagonist's location for his award ceremony towards the end of the film. The Hall is seen sporting double Templar Crosses on the facade of the Temple.[12]
Like Sandby's Grand Hall, the Grand Temple is also used for concerts and musical events – having excellent acoustics and clear sight-lines. In September 2014, Freemasons' Hall hosted several fashion shows as a part of London Fashion Week 2014.[13]
The building is used both internally and externally as a stand-in for
The 2013 crypto-thriller The Sword of Moses by Dominic Selwood has numerous scenes set in Freemasons' Hall.[16]
In 2022 The Late Late Show with James Corden filmed four episodes in Freemasons' Hall for a London week.[17]
See also
Notes
- ^ "Our History | World Evangelical Alliance". World Evangelical Alliance |. 9 October 2019. Archived from the original on 22 April 2021. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
- ^ There were several early masonic grand lodges. The term "premier" refers to the grand lodge created in London in 1717.
- ^ Historic England. "Grade II* (1113218)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 25 February 2010.
- ^ Chilton, H.F.D. (March 1949). "The doors of the Temple". Masonic Record.
- ISBN 0-901075-09-4.
- ^ Museums, Libraries and Archives Council "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 26 January 2009.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Catalogue Service [1]
- ^ Museum Website "Family history". Retrieved 24 June 2019.
- ^ Current Exhibitions "Exhibitions". Retrieved 24 June 2019.
- ^ "London Masonry ~ supporting the community". 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
- ^ "Blog". Midlands Floor Springs Limited. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
- ^ "Filming locations of Assassin's Creed (2016)". IMDb. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
- ^ "London Fashion Week 2014 at Freemasons' Hall - Freemasonry Today". www.freemasonrytoday.com. Archived from the original on 26 April 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
- ^ "Thames House". MI5 - The Security Service. MI5. Archived from the original on 15 September 2015.
- ^ "Sherlock Villain Kicks Ass". IGN. 3 December 2008. Retrieved 3 December 2008.
- ^ Farleigh, Andrew. "The Sword of Moses". The Square Magazine. Archived from the original on 22 April 2014. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
- ^ Yossman, K.J. (28 June 2022). "James Corden Opens Up as 'The Late Late Show' Takes London With Family, Friends and Billie Eilish". Variety. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
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