© 2021 Provincial Grand Court of Wessex
Bricgstowe Court No. 75:
Meeting at Freemason`s Hall, Park Street,
Bristol. BS1 5NH
Regular meetings of the Court are held on the 3rd Tuesday in January,
1st. Monday in June and 1st, Tuesday in September (Installation)
CONTACT SECRETARY: W.Bro. David R. Attwater, DepGSec
e-mail: dattwater50@gmail.com
Address: 100 Avonmouth Road, Bristol, BS11 9NA
Phone: 07443 54 9721 or 01179 38 0271
ORATION : The Court of Bricgstowe No. 75, 2nd April 2011
by W.& Em.Bro. Colin Lowther,
Provincial Eminent Grand Prior Elect of Wessex.
Most Worshipful Grand Master, Worshipful Master, Worshipful
Brethren, & Brethren all.
Brethren, we are assembled here today in harmony and peace, and
privileged to be present at, and to participate in, the consecration of the newest Court of Athelstan, the sixth Court in the Province of
Wessex.
Bricgstowe Court No. 75.
Bristol
or
is
it
Bricgstowe,
has
a
recorded
history
of
over
1000
years.
There
is
an
unrecorded
history
going
back
to
pre
Roman
times. It was a small market town or burgh from as early as the 10th Century and forming part of the Kingdom of Wessex.
1000
years
has
seen
many
changes.
We
meet
here
today
in
this
ancient
city
and
in
this
wonderful
Masonic
Temple.
The
Bristol
we
know
today
has
grown
from
a
small
town
into
a
thriving
city.
The
original
Kingdom
of
Wessex
disappeared
many
years
ago
but
the
name Wessex lives on and we now have the Province of Wessex in the Masonic Order of Athelstan.
The
building
in
which
we
meet
today
is
the
Province
of
Bristol.
All
of
the
Orders
and
Degrees
administered
by
the
Province
of
Bristol
meet
in
this
one
building.
Craft,
Royal
Arch,
Mark,
Royal
Ark
Mariners
and
the
Camp
of
Baldwyn.
The
Camp
of
Baldwyn
holds
a
unique position in English Freemasonry. It incorporates in one body, five Royal Orders of Knighthood.
This
building
was
acquired
by
the
Province
in
1872
and
with
the
exception
of
a
number
of
years
following
damage
by
enemy
action
in 1940, every meeting has been held within these walls.
As
the
Masonic
Order
of
Athelstan,
we
are
youngsters
in
the
Masonic
world.
But
our
Order
is
based
on
foundations
laid
down
when
Bricgstowe
was
but
a
youngster.
Ten
Provinces
each
with
Ten
Courts.
Representing,
as
near
as
possible,
the
original
Kingdoms
and
Guilds
as
they
were
set
up
by
King
Athelstan
during
his
reign
as
First
King
of
the
English.
All
this
when
Bristol
was
just
a
village
near
a bridge.
Since
that
date,
there
have
been
many
changes.
Bristol
was
granted
a
Royal
Charter
in
1155
and
was
granted
County
status
in
1373 separate from Gloucestershire and Somerset. The Masonic Province of Bristol has as its boundary, the original city boundary.
The
history
of
Bristol
as
a
city
and
a
Province
is
an
inspiration
to
us
all.
1460,
William
Canynge,
Mayor
of
Bristol.
St
Mathyas
Chapel
being in ruins was this year erected by him into a Freemasons Hall. We have Canynge Lodge.
In
1497,
John
Cabot
set
sail
from
the
port
of
Bristol
and
discovered
North
America.
Bristol
has
Cabot
Lodge
and
Cabot
Chapter.
In
1532, Robert and Nicholas Thorne founded the Bristol Grammar School. They have Robert Thorne Lodge.
John
Whitson,
in
his
will,
left
funds
for
the
foundation
of
the
Redmaids
School,
the
oldest
surviving
girls
school
in
England.
They
have
Whitson
Lodge.
Edward
Hodges
Bailey,
the
Sculptor
created
the
frieze
above
the
main
entrance
to
this
building.
His
name
is
commerated by Baily Lodge. Colston, Brunel and Chatterton, all famous names with strong Bristol connections.
There
are
records
of
a
Masonic
Lodge
in
Bristol
in
1725,
the
Nags
Head
Lodge
No.
29.
Not,
I
am
sure
named
after
a
famous
Bristolian but the hostelry in which they met.
1739
saw
the
first
Methodist
Chapel,
the
building
still
exists.
1771,
Records
of
the
Royal
Sussex
Lodge
of
Hospitality
show
that
the
Lodge was opened at half past eight and closed immediately with all due Harmony and Decorum.
In
1844
Brunel's
SS
Great
Britain
was
launched,
1864,
the
Bristol
Suspension
bridge
was
built,
both
still
here
today
and
we
finish
the list with Concorde.
The
Province
of
Bristol
was
created
in
1786
at
the
request
of
Brother
Thomas
Dunkerley.
He
was
the
first
Provincial
Grand
Master
for
Bristol.
There
are
now
36
Lodges
in
the
Province
of
Bristol,
all
meeting
in
this
wonderful
building.
During
1786,
Dunkerley
was
also the Provincial Grand Master in five other Provinces.
However,
we
are
assembled
here
today
not
to
look
back.
We
look
to
the
future
and
the
growth
of
the
Masonic
Order
of
Athelstan.
As
Court number 75 we represent a milestone in the history of the Order.
As
Bricgstowe
Court,
we
must
always
remember,
although
we
meet
in
the
heart
of
the
Province
of
Bristol,
we
are
not
Bristol
Masons, we are part of the Province of Wessex, meeting in this historic Bristol building. A building steeped in Masonic history.
© 2021 Provincial Grand Court of Wessex
Bricgstowe Court No. 75:
Meeting at Freemason`s Hall, Park Street,
Bristol. BS1 5NH
Regular meetings of the Court are held on the 3rd Tuesday in January,
1st. Monday in June and 1st, Tuesday in September (Installation)
CONTACT SECRETARY: W.Bro. David R. Attwater, DepGSec
e-mail: dattwater50@gmail.com
Address: 100 Avonmouth Road, Bristol, BS11 9NA
Phone: 07443 54 9721 or 01179 38 0271
ORATION : The Court of Bricgstowe No. 75, 2nd April 2011
by W.& Em.Bro. Colin Lowther, Provincial Eminent Grand
Prior Elect of Wessex.
Most Worshipful Grand Master, Worshipful Master, Worshipful Brethren,
& Brethren all.
Brethren, we are assembled here today in harmony and peace, and
privileged to be present at, and to participate in, the consecration of the newest Court of Athelstan, the sixth Court in the
Province of Wessex.
Bricgstowe Court No. 75.
Bristol
or
is
it
Bricgstowe,
has
a
recorded
history
of
over
1000
years.
There
is
an
unrecorded
history
going
back
to
pre
Roman
times.
It
was
a
small
market
town
or
burgh
from
as
early
as
the
10th
Century
and
forming part of the Kingdom of Wessex.
1000
years
has
seen
many
changes.
We
meet
here
today
in
this
ancient
city
and
in
this
wonderful
Masonic
Temple.
The
Bristol
we
know
today
has
grown
from
a
small
town
into
a
thriving
city.
The
original
Kingdom
of
Wessex
disappeared
many
years
ago
but
the
name
Wessex
lives
on
and
we
now
have
the
Province
of
Wessex in the Masonic Order of Athelstan.
The
building
in
which
we
meet
today
is
the
Province
of
Bristol.
All
of
the
Orders
and
Degrees
administered
by
the
Province
of
Bristol
meet
in
this
one
building.
Craft,
Royal
Arch,
Mark,
Royal
Ark
Mariners
and
the
Camp
of
Baldwyn.
The
Camp
of
Baldwyn
holds
a
unique
position
in
English
Freemasonry.
It
incorporates
in one body, five Royal Orders of Knighthood.
This
building
was
acquired
by
the
Province
in
1872
and
with
the
exception
of
a
number
of
years
following
damage by enemy action in 1940, every meeting has been held within these walls.
As
the
Masonic
Order
of
Athelstan,
we
are
youngsters
in
the
Masonic
world.
But
our
Order
is
based
on
foundations
laid
down
when
Bricgstowe
was
but
a
youngster.
Ten
Provinces
each
with
Ten
Courts.
Representing,
as
near
as
possible,
the
original
Kingdoms
and
Guilds
as
they
were
set
up
by
King
Athelstan
during his reign as First King of the English. All this when Bristol was just a village near a bridge.
Since
that
date,
there
have
been
many
changes.
Bristol
was
granted
a
Royal
Charter
in
1155
and
was
granted
County
status
in
1373
separate
from
Gloucestershire
and
Somerset.
The
Masonic
Province
of
Bristol has as its boundary, the original city boundary.
The
history
of
Bristol
as
a
city
and
a
Province
is
an
inspiration
to
us
all.
1460,
William
Canynge,
Mayor
of
Bristol.
St
Mathyas
Chapel
being
in
ruins
was
this
year
erected
by
him
into
a
Freemasons
Hall.
We
have
Canynge Lodge.
In
1497,
John
Cabot
set
sail
from
the
port
of
Bristol
and
discovered
North
America.
Bristol
has
Cabot
Lodge
and
Cabot
Chapter.
In
1532,
Robert
and
Nicholas
Thorne
founded
the
Bristol
Grammar
School.
They have Robert Thorne Lodge.
John
Whitson,
in
his
will,
left
funds
for
the
foundation
of
the
Redmaids
School,
the
oldest
surviving
girls
school
in
England.
They
have
Whitson
Lodge.
Edward
Hodges
Bailey,
the
Sculptor
created
the
frieze
above
the
main
entrance
to
this
building.
His
name
is
commerated
by
Baily
Lodge.
Colston,
Brunel
and
Chatterton, all famous names with strong Bristol connections.
There
are
records
of
a
Masonic
Lodge
in
Bristol
in
1725,
the
Nags
Head
Lodge
No.
29.
Not,
I
am
sure
named after a famous Bristolian but the hostelry in which they met.
1739
saw
the
first
Methodist
Chapel,
the
building
still
exists.
1771,
Records
of
the
Royal
Sussex
Lodge
of
Hospitality
show
that
the
Lodge
was
opened
at
half
past
eight
and
closed
immediately
with
all
due
Harmony and Decorum.
In
1844
Brunel's
SS
Great
Britain
was
launched,
1864,
the
Bristol
Suspension
bridge
was
built,
both
still
here today and we finish the list with Concorde.
The
Province
of
Bristol
was
created
in
1786
at
the
request
of
Brother
Thomas
Dunkerley.
He
was
the
first
Provincial
Grand
Master
for
Bristol.
There
are
now
36
Lodges
in
the
Province
of
Bristol,
all
meeting
in
this
wonderful building. During 1786, Dunkerley was also the Provincial Grand Master in five other Provinces.
However,
we
are
assembled
here
today
not
to
look
back.
We
look
to
the
future
and
the
growth
of
the
Masonic Order of Athelstan. As Court number 75 we represent a milestone in the history of the Order.
As
Bricgstowe
Court,
we
must
always
remember,
although
we
meet
in
the
heart
of
the
Province
of
Bristol,
we
are
not
Bristol
Masons,
we
are
part
of
the
Province
of
Wessex,
meeting
in
this
historic
Bristol
building.
A building steeped in Masonic history.
