Freemasons Lodge Of St John

The Freemasons Lodge of St John, built in 1857 and designed by Edward Appleton, is a notable example of Venetian Gothic style architecture. Constructed from snecked local grey limestone, it features polychromatic brick and Bathstone dressings, topped with a slate roof that has lead rolls and a ventilation pot. The building is situated on the side of Vane Hill.

The structure consists of a tall three-bay block to the north, which originally served as the meeting room and library for the Torquay Natural History Society, with a masonic hall located above it. To the south is a lower-roofed block that includes a doorway in a canted corner, as well as a former robing room and staircase.

The exterior showcases a three-bay main block adorned with decorative moulded brick corbels beneath the eaves. It features three three-light windows, each with trefoil-headed lights and brick banding, separated by shafts. These windows are set in chamfered two-centred arched recesses, embellished with polychromatic details in the tympanum. There are three corbelled dormers, with the outer ones containing two-light windows that match those below, while the central dormer has battered sides. Masonic symbols are present in the gables.

A two-centred triple-chamfered doorway is located in the canted corner, framed by a brick arch and shafts, with an original stone porch hood supported by brackets. Above the porch is a two-light window that matches the others, accompanied by two one-light trefoil-headed windows to the left. The left return features a stone Star of David window, while the right return has an upper doorway, converted from a window, which is accessed by a bridge from the steps leading up to Vane Hill.

The interior includes an open roof to the masonic lodge, although access to the interior is currently unobtainable. Overall, the Freemasons Lodge of St John is a striking and distinctive example of the Venetian Gothic Revival style.