Freemasons' Hall And Attached Front Railings

Freemasons' Hall and Attached Front Railings

A mid to late 19th-century Freemasons' Hall on St John's Place, constructed in thinly-coursed squared stone with an ashlar front, rock-faced basement, and left-hand bay. The building comprises two storeys with basement and spans six bays, of which the left bay is a much-altered caretaker's apartment and the remaining five bays form the hall proper.

The hall elevation is classically treated. The three left-hand bays on the first floor, which form the Temple, are blind and taller than the right-hand bays and are topped with a pediment. A central two-bay portico provides the entrance. Bays are defined by pilasters, channelled on the ground floor with elaborate capitals on the first-floor left-hand bays. The building features cill bands, a first-floor impost band, and ground- and first-floor cornices. Openings have stone lintels to the basement and caretaker's apartment, while the ground floor has segmental-arched openings and the upper floor round-arched openings with keystones and architraves. The portico columns bear capitals decorated with anthemions and symbols of freemasonry. The entrance comprises six-panel double doors under a tall overlight, with a window to the left within the portico, which has a raised apron panel. The portico features a deep dentilled cornice extending to the pediment.

The left-hand first-floor bays contain fine-quality relief carvings, including a central arched panel bearing a coat of arms and motto, flanked by bays each displaying an open book on a pedestal, with various numerals, mottoes, and symbols throughout. The roof is hipped over the right-hand bays with vents to the ridge behind the pediment.

The basement area is fronted by a low stone wall supporting heavy cast-iron railings with obelisk-finalled standards flanking decorated panels, some of which incorporate five-pointed stars, compasses, and square motifs.

The rear elevation features ashlar bands and pilasters to the ends and flanking a narrow bay three. Windows include plain sashes, though most feature leaded glazing incorporating freemasonry symbols.

The interior is extensively decorated. A double door leads into a lobby up steps, with a fanlight containing coloured glazing depicting a compass and square. The lobby has a modillion cornice and an elaborate light roundel with panelled doors. The stair hall displays decorative wall panels and an egg-and-dart cornice. An open-well stair features elaborate cast-iron open-work panel balusters. A round-arched stair-window and stair-well overlight contain coloured glazing. The first-floor stair-hall is elaborately decorated with red-polished stone-clad columns and pilasters supporting an elaborately-decorated cross-beam. Wall panels have raised, lugged mouldings set in round-arched niches on the landing.

The Temple is highly decorated with anthemion-capitalled pilasters to the walls, between which panels bear a variety of symbols including eyes and hand-held daggers. A scrolled frieze runs below a heavily-moulded modillioned cornice, which breaks forward at either end on large, elaborate console brackets—an organ is inset behind the wall at the rear end. The coved coffered ceiling has beam soffits decorated with pomegranate and trailing leaf ornament, with panels featuring fretted surrounds painted with suns and stars. Circular ceiling vents are fitted with grilles incorporating squares and compasses.