Frequently Asked Questions

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Freemasonry is a 300-year-old social network with a serious purpose. It is a society of men concerned with moral and spiritual values.  It promotes friendship and responsible citizenship. It instils in its members a moral and ethical approach to life. It seeks to reinforce thoughtfulness for others, kindness in the community, honesty in business, courtesy in society and fairness in all things.  Members are urged to regard the interests of the family as paramount but, importantly, Freemasonry also encourages and facilitates consideration for others, care for the less fortunate and help for those in need. Just in case this all sounds too earnest, we must also emphasise the social nature of Lodge membership. Masons are extremely sociable and Lodge meetings are both enjoyable and rewarding.

We believe in friendship as a force for good in society; in tolerance and equality; in helping those less fortunate than ourselves; and in the importance of integrity in all of our dealings with others.  Masons are encouraged to speak openly about Freemasonry as long as they are not trying to use their membership to create an advantage for themselves.

Membership is open to all men of good public record, strict morals and integrity, who believe in God. There are no other requirements, and members come from all walks of life and all types of ethnic, social, economic and educational backgrounds, occupations and religions.

Members are expected to be of high moral standing and Masons are encouraged to speak openly about Freemasonry as long as they are not trying to use their membership to create an advantage over others. Membership offers no monetary advantages.

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The benefits of membership come from the rewards and sense of satisfaction gained from helping others in our communities, from continuing to learn about ourselves and our place in society, from contributing to the life of the lodge in its ceremonies and from the warmth of friendships and association with individuals who share similar beliefs and values.

These benefits are highly valued by masons but they are all intangible - no financial or material advantages result from membership.

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1) Choose the geographic area that suits you best. See our 'Meeting Places' page to find the closest lodge to where you live or work

2) Select the days, dates and times of meetings that best suit your circumstances. In response to the high intensity and long working hours of jobs today, many lodges have adjusted the starting time of their meetings to make life easier for members

3) Visit individual lodge web sites to learn more about them - some have their history explained on their site

4) Speak to the Berkshire Grand Lodge Secretary and find out if your age, interests or work match a particular lodge. There are lodges with affiliations to non-masonic groups or interests. For example, the 'Be Prepared' Lodge was founded by and for those who have been part of the Scouting movement; there are three lodges for former pupils of local schools; and there is a lodge for those interested in country sports. In many cases the name of the lodge is a clue to their background

5) If it's important to you, find out whether the lodge runs social events to which you can bring your family and friends.

6) When you have made a choice or been directed to a lodge by the Berkshire Secretary, take every opportunity to meet socially with the members of the lodge to make sure that you and they are compatible.

7) If everything is right, the lodge secretary will help you with the application process

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Under the United Grand Lodge of England, which also covers Wales, there are over a quarter of a million Freemasons.

The Grand Lodge of Ireland which covers both Northern Ireland and Eire, and The Grand Lodge of Scotland have a combined total of approximately 150,000 members.


Worldwide, there are approximately six million Freemasons.

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Lodge meetings are normally in two parts. First, in the Lodge Room, there are normal business matters to deal with such as the minutes of the previous meeting, proposals and ballots for new members, discussion of Lodge finances, masonic news and correspondence, news about the health of, and support for, members, news about charitable work and so on. There are also formal ceremonies for admitting new members and for the annual installation of the Master of the Lodge and his officers.

Second, after the business of the Lodge has been concluded, the members socialise at a formal dinner, usually in a separate dining room.

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Yes, we do - but not all the time!

The ceremonies we perform as part of the admission of new members were developed in the 18th and 19th centuries and contain many symbolic elements. These can seem strange today, but they are part of Freemasonry's unique historic eccentric charm and character. Every Freemason goes through the same ceremonies and experiences when he joins his first Lodge.

The traditional methods of proving levels of knowledge and skills that are used as part of the ceremonies are the things that Freemasons promise not to reveal to non-Masons as a test of their integrity. They are purely ceremonial, however, and Freemasons are taught not to use them outside the Lodge; they have no intrinsic value.

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Wearing regalia is historic and symbolic and has developed from the simple protective leather apron originally worn by working stonemasons into the elaborate, distinctive and highly decorated items of today. Like a uniform, the regalia indicates the office and rank of the wearer in the organisation.

More importantly, the wearing of regalia with smart formal suits draws a sharp distinction between life inside the lodge and that outside. Lodge meetings are a time for reflecting on the allegories and symbols presented in the ceremonies, and changing our clothing to something special and unique helps to reinforce the idea that this time is also special and unique in our lives.

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All masons promise to behave well, and with courtesy to others, both in the Lodge and in society. We promise to honour our native country and our Sovereign; to obey the laws of the land and those of God. We promise to support others in time of need but only so far as it does not damage the welfare of our own families and friends.

We also promise not to reveal the ceremonial ways we use to prove our membership when visiting other Lodges. We prize honour and integrity above all else and keeping these ceremonial promises is a symbolic way of demonstrating our personal integrity.

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It varies from Lodge to Lodge. Most individuals will find a Lodge to suit their means. There is an initiation fee on entry and, in due course, regalia will have to be bought. Each Lodge meeting is normally followed by a dinner, the cost of which depends on the venue. There is, in addition, an annual subscription.

Typically, an initiation fee will be £200 - £300 (including the first year's subscription); basic regalia will cost about £35 - £50; dining costs vary widely but range between £15 and £50 depending on venue; subscriptions also vary but a Lodge meeting 7 times a year will typically need to set its annual subscription at between £150 - £200.

Members are invited to give to charity but this must always be without harming their own and their family's financial situation. It is a private and confidential matter how much each individual chooses to contribute.

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Lodges meet between 3 and 7 times a year on pre-defined days of the month in which the meetings take place. They almost always take place in the same location; there are very few surprises about the date and location of Lodge meetings. The meetings last about 3 or 4 hours including the formal dinner after the Lodge business is concluded; on special occasions, such as when a new Master is installed, they may last longer.

Lodges expect their members to attend every meeting unless sickness or personal duties prevent it.

Most Lodges also have informal meetings at which members exchange ideas and help each other develop a deeper understanding of Freemasonry and its ceremonies. These meetings may last about 2 hours. If you progress in the Lodge and wish to take an office and play a part in the ceremonies, then your commitment of time may increase considerably.

We hope that you will give your Lodge membership a high priority in your life but always without harmimg your relationships with your family and work commitments and duties.

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No.

Giving preference to a mason over a non-mason in any matter because of his membership is strictly forbidden. Depending on the seriousness of the offence, such action could lead to masonic sanctions, including expulsion from the organisation.

On joining, each new member states that he expects no material gain from his membership and no true Freemason would seek to gain unfairly in that way.

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No.

Freemasonry is neither a religion nor a substitute for religion. All Freemasons must believe in God by whatever form and name is used in their particular creed. To be completely neutral we refer to God as the Supreme Being.

Every member is encouraged to follow the teachings of his own religion and regularly to attend church, synagogue, mosque or temple as required by his own faith.

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The answer to this question must come from the religion concerned but we believe it is due to a misunderstanding of our purpose and practices.

There is nothing about Freemasonry that is antipathetic to religious belief. Freemasonry is complementary to, and supportive of, religious beliefs and every Freemason is encouraged to follow the teachings of his own religion.

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Yes we do.

Four Grand Masters of English Freemasonry have been Roman Catholics. Today there are many Roman Catholic Freemasons.

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Freemasonry deals with a man’s relationship with his fellow man and complements his religious beliefs; it cannot replace them.

Because Freemasonry welcomes members of all faiths, and to avoid any dissent arising from the expression of particular religious beliefs, all discussion of religion is forbidden at masonic meetings.

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Freemasonry does not have, and will never express, a view on politics or state policy.

Lodges will never align themselves with any political party, faction or movement. The discussion of politics within Lodges and at other masonic meetings has always been strictly prohibited. This is for two reasons.

First, historically, at the birth of Freemasonry and later following the French Revolution, monarchies and nation states around Europe saw societies such as Freemasonry as a potential source of discontent and sedition. To emphasise emphatically that this was not true of Freemasonry, all political discussion and activities were eliminated from the organisation.

Second, we know that people in all walks of life hold very different views on political issues. Our members are no different, and to avoid argument and preserve the harmony essential to a Lodge's work we never allow discussion of political issues.

It is also interesting to note that Freemasonry has always appeared threatening to dictators and totalitarian states. For example, the Nazi and Fascist regimes in 20th century Europe destroyed masonic lodges wherever and whenever they could.

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Freemasonry exists throughout the world. The first Grand Lodge was constituted in London in 1717 but the Grand Lodge of every nation or state is sovereign and independent. There is no international governing body for Freemasonry although The United Grand Lodge of England has particularly close ties with The Grand Lodge of Scotland and The Grand Lodge of Ireland.

It is estimated that there are more than 6 million Freemasons around the world under Grand Lodges recognised as regular by The United Grand Lodge of England.

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The Freemasons' Grand Charity has given over £49 million to non-Masonic causes between 1981 and the end of 2010. It has been a great supporter of hospices throughout the UK, of air ambulances, of the RNLI and of international charities such as Oxfam, Save The Children and the Red Cross.


All of the money raised and donated came from Freemasons. The Freemasons' Grand Charity does not solicit contributions from the general public.

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Yes, there are.

Women who wish to become Freemasons can do so by joining a lodge affiliated to one of two separate and distinct Grand Lodges. The Order of Women Freemasons and The Honourable Fraternity of Ancient Freemasons both admit women only.

Membership of lodges affiliated to The United Grand Lodge of England is restricted to men.