Freemasonry in Scotland 1

In the year 1149 the famous Abbey of Kilwinning was built. It was such a marvel of beauty both for grandeur of design and finish that the Masons who had gathered in Scotland, from European parts made Kilwinning their headquarters. As Kilwinning is the birthplace of Masonry in Scotland. and according to some authors, in Britain, and as its famous abbey was the nucleus around which clustered the most skilled artificers in Europe, perhaps a few words in relation to it may not be out of place.

Kilwinning is a small town in the county of Ayr, consisting mainly of one long straggling street, and its present population are either hand loom weavers or miners. The Abbey, without which the village would otherwise be scarcely worth mentioning, was founded by Hugh Morville, Constable of Scotland, and dedicated to St. Winning. It was intended to be a residence of a company of monks of the Tyronesian order, covered several acres of ground, and in workmanship was a masterpiece of art.

According to Masonic tradition, King Robert the Bruce founded at Kilwinning, the Royal Order of Scotland. An old writer states that that monarch under the title of Robert the First, created the Order of St. Andrews of Chardon.

At the period when James II, was on the throne, the Barons of Roslin as hereditary Grand Masters of Scotland, held their annual meetings at Kilwinning and the Lodge at that place granted warrants of constitution for the formation of subordinate Lodges in other parts of the Kingdom.

The Lodges thus formed, in token of their respect for, and submission to, the mother Lodge, affixed the word “Kilwinning” to their own distinctive names, which are still to be found on the register of the Grand Lodge of Scotland such as Canongate Kilwinning, Hamilton Kilwinning, etc.

In 1743 the Lodge of Kilwinning, although universally admitted to be the cradle of Masonry, was compelled to content itself with the second number on the register of the Grand Lodge in consequence of its records being destroyed by fire, while the Lodge of St. Mary’s Chapel, in Edinburgh, having been more fortunate in preserving its archives as far back as the year 1598, received the first number and precedence among the Lodges of Scotland.

This terminates the connection of Kilwinning as the place of importance with Scottish Freemasonry. The Lodge still remains but its honours and dignities consists only in the recollection of its venerable origin, and the union of its name with many of the richest and most respectable Lodges in Scotland. As for the Abbey, that stupendous edifice which was erected by the Freemasons who immigrated into Scotland, its history, like that of the Grand Lodge they founded, is one of decline and decay.

In 1560, it was in a great measure demolished by Alexander, Earl of Glencairn, in obedience to an order from the States General, in the exercise of their authority during the imprisonment of Mary Stuart. A few years afterwards a part of the Abbey Chap-

el was repaired and converted into a parish church and was used as such until about the year 1775 when in consequence of its ruinous and dangerous state it was pulled down, and an elegant Church in the modern style was erected in its place.

In 1789 so much of the ancient Abbey remained as to enable Captain Grose, the antiquary, to take a sketch of the ruins, but not a vestige of the building is to be found, nor can its exact site be found with any precision.

Last year some very interesting particulars were issued with regard to Lodge Scone and Perth No. 3, which dates ba.ck to the sixteenth century, but precisely when the Lodge was erected is not known.

ln the curious “contract or mutual agreement" of 1658, mention is made of the Lodge of Scone being “second Ludge within this nation,’ as a branch or offspring of Kilwinning, and in some respects it is implied even superior to that ancient body, because King James, to whom the English version of the “Great Light” is dedicated, was initiated into that Lodge.

It is thought that the Lodge of Scone was erected at the time of the building of the abbey, palace, and other buildings required in that early capital of Scotland, and if the antiquity of the old lodges is to be determined by the aid of the Churches and other buildings, then it follows that the Lodge of Scone is the oldest of Scottish Lodges.

The Abbey of Scone was founded in 1114, an old minute states that the lodge “proceeded” from Kilwinning. Lodge Scone and Perth occupies a unique position in Freemasonry, as it is the only lodge that possesses the right to work the degree in two places, viz., the city of Scone and the City of Perth. The records of the Lodge of Edinburgh (Mary's Chapel) No. 1, which extend almost unbrokenly as far back as 1598 show that Operative Masonry flourished in Scotland long before our present form of Masonry was firmly established, and the first nonoperative Mason to preside over a lodge was Harry Elphinstone, Tutor of Art and Collector of Customs, who, as Master of Lodge Aberdeen No. 1 Ter., in the year 1670, presided over 10 operative masons, 4 noblemen, 2 members of county families, 3 ministers, an advocate, a professor of mathematics, 9 merchants, 2 surgeons, 2 glaziers, a blacksmith, 2 periwig makers, 4 carpenters, 3 slaters and 4 other tradesmen. This record is signed in the following manner: “Wreattin be James Anderson, Glassier and Measson and Clerk to our honourable Lodge.”

Oldest minute from No.1

Part 2 next month.

Continuing the series by Brother Craighead from Aberdeen who joined Thistle Lodge No.900 in NY.