Alnwick Lodge; Alnwick Manuscript

Alnwick Lodge; Alnwick Manuscript. This lodge at the town of Alnwick, Newcastle in the North of England, is notable as being one of the two lodges in that country known to have been in existence for a considerable period prior to the organization of the Grand Lodge in 1717 and having preserved minutes to show, the other being York. The minutes of Alnwick Lodge from 1701 to 1757 are preserved, although the Lodge existed until 1763. It was an operative lodge throughout and never affiliated with the Grand Lodge. The records left by this Lodge comprise a good copy of the Gothic Constitutions, known as Alnwick MS. and the rules of the Lodge, entitled, Orders to be observed by the Company and Fellowship of Freemasons att a Lodge held at Alnwick Septr. 29, 1701, these being placed in the front of the Minute Book in which the first actual minutes of a meeting are dated October 3, 1703.

Macoy Collector's Note: An invaluable link to operative Masonry in England before the 1717 Speculative transition.