Langthorne Lodge

Rosslyn Lodge

Cromwell Lodge

Thomas Paycocke

The Badge of the Lodge

Parts of this badge contain elements from the Coat of Arms of the Earl of Rosslyn who gave his permission for their use.

Emulation Ritual

4th Wednesday
Jan, Feb, Mar, Sep, OCT, Nov.

In 1865, when Frances Maynard was three years old, her father died. Three months later her grandfather died, and she inherited the Maynard Estates at Easton Lodge, Little Easton in the County of Essex. Her mother then married Francis, Fourth Earl of Rosslyn and the newly wed couple made Easton Lodge their main home. This is where Frances, later to be Countess of Warwick and close friend of royalty, grew up.

The fourth earl of Rosslyn held the highest offices in Masonry in Scotland. Since Easton Lodge had become his home, it was only natural that the Masonic lodge to be inaugurated in Great Dunmow should be under his patronage.

By special permission of the patron of the lodge, the 4^th Earl Rosslyn P.G.M. Scotland and representative at the Grand Lodge of England, the Lodge was designated “Rosslyn Lodge No.1543 in the register of the Grand Lodge of England”.

In 1875 a petition praying for the consecration of a Lodge was forwarded to Grand Lodge signed by the following: - the Revd. Francis Burton Shepherd, George Dixon Clapham, Frederick John Snell, Vero W. Taylor, Thomas Hill Wood, William Nevill Tufnell, Arthur Goodchild and others who were desirous of seeing a Lodge established in Great Dunmow in the County of Essex.

It was at 2.00pm on Wednesday 29^th October 1875 at the Town Hall, Great Dunmow that the Reverend W. Bro C. Martin past Grand Chaplin assisted by the Reverend W.Bro. Spencer Robert Wigram, Grand Chaplin and other distinguished Masons opened the Lodge in the three degrees, for the consecration ceremony. The consecration is recorded as having been carried out “according to Ancient Ritual”.

The meetings were originally held on the Wednesday nearest the full moon, later a Tuesday, reverting in 1885 to Wednesday.

In the early days of the Lodge the Brethren came to the meetings in horse drawn vehicles whose illuminations were usually candle lamps one on each side of the vehicle, hence the day nearest the full moon gave them the advantage of that extra light on the journey to and from the Lodge. Between 1875 and 1879 regular meetings of the Lodge were held at the Town Hall, Great Dunmow. Early in 1879 the meeting place moved to the Saracen’s Head Hotel, High Street, Great Dunmow where it was to remain until 1972. In 1972 the Lodge was unable to meet at the Saracen’s Head owing to extensive alterations to the premises and regular meetings were moved to the Howard Hall, Braintree.