A new film which, for the first time, offers a glimpse of what happens in the county’s Lodge rooms, has been welcomed by Cheshire Freemasons. The new film, Discover Freemasonry, shows interviews with leading Freemasons, as well as delving into Freemasonry’s unique history and symbolism, including the famous handshake.
Photographer: Steve Blake – SquarePictures.co.uk
Freemasons being filmed during a ceremony inside a Lodge room
The Province of Cheshire is the oldest in the United Grand Lodge of England and has been in existence for very nearly 300 years, but, as the film shows, modern Freemasonry fully reflects the face of 21st century Britain. The roots of modern Freemasonry lie with the medieval stonemasons who built our castles and cathedrals, yet it is as relevant today as it was hundreds of years ago.
Head of Cheshire Freemasons, Stephen Blank, said “Freemasons have been at the heart of the community of Cheshire for a long time, but many people have little or no idea what Freemasonry is. I hope this video will go some way to answering that question and provide insight into who we are and what we do. We have thousands of members across the County and this is a great opportunity for people who may be interested in joining us to find out more.”
The full film can be seen at https://www.cheshiremasons.co.uk/what-do-we-do/
Photographer: Steve Blake – SquarePictures.co.uk
About the United Grand Lodge of England:
- The United Grand Lodge of England, was formed in 1717 and is the governing body for Freemasonry in England and Wales and has 200,000 members.
- It has 47 Provinces across the country and more than 7,000 Lodges, with students over 18 able to join one of the 81 University Scheme Lodges.
- Freemasons use four important guiding principles to help define their path through life: integrity, friendship, respect and charity.
- One of the oldest social and charitable organisations in the world, Freemasonry’s roots lie in the traditions of the medieval stonemasons who built our cathedrals and castles.
- Freemasonry is one of the largest charitable givers in the country, contributing more than £48m to deserving causes in 2018 alone. Freemasons don’t only donate money – over 5 million hours of volunteer work was undertaken by Freemasons in 2018.
Photographer: Steve Blake – SquarePictures.co.uk
Female Freemasonry:
- There are two female-only Grand Lodges, the Honourable Fraternity of Ancient Freemasons (HFAF) and the Order of Women Freemasons (OWF). The HFAF and OWF follow exactly the same ritual and wear the same regalia as male Freemasons – and they often work closely with community and charity projects.
