Following the generous gift of the Masonic Rooms in Long Street, Atherstone, the new owners of the rooms decided the best use of them was to form new Lodges there in the various Degrees of Freemasonry to serve the Masonic interests of Atherstone Brethren.

As a result those brethren who lived close by and were already Mark Masons approached the then Provincial Grand Master of the Mark Degree, RW Bro David Carr Hooker to form a Lodge of Mark Master Masons. With W Bro Malcolm RS Thomas (the current Senior Warden of the Mark Province) as the founding Secretary, 36 founders attended a meeting and W Bro Roger W Sargent, AGIG, The Provincial Assistant Grand Secretary was invited to be the first Master.

The new Lodge was consecrated at the Masonic Hall in Atherstone on Saturday, 26th May 2007, and the Festive Board was held in the nearby Red Lion Hotel.

Our benefactor was the first candidate to be Advanced in the new Lodge, which the Brethren had chosen to call The Mancetter Lodge Of Mark Master Masons after the historic village on the outskirts of the ancient Market Town of Atherstone. It was given the number 1883 on the roll of Lodges at Mark Masons Hall.

The Mancetter Manor Coat of Arms was adopted by the Lodge and the Latin motto Labor Ipse Voluptas was chosen, its meaning translating as, ‘Work itself is a pleasure’. This motto is very apt for the Mark Degree where the candidate becomes an operative Mason in pleasurable circumstances.

The late RW Bro Stanley Alan Lates, PPGM, PG Supt, always said that a brother Mason should never join the Royal Arch until he had been advanced into the Mark Degree, as it was a necessary stepping stone in a Brother’s Masonic career.

In a few short years, the Lodge has gone from strength to strength and has recently dedicated a most beautiful Lodge Banner which is on permanent show in the Atherstone Masonic Hall.

Any Master Mason will be made welcome, so please contact W Bro Bill Orton, the secretary, on mmm@athelstan1333.org.uk for the requisite form.