Who We Are
Winchester's most exciting Freemasons' Lodge
King Ælfred Lodge is a young and forward thinking lodge of 50 plus members who all live and/or work in the Hampshire area. We formally meet seven times a year on the first Monday of the month; October through till April. The Lodge’s later start time for our formal meetings of 18.00 hours enables those members with work commitments to attend with minimal impact on their working day.
Being a member of King Ælfred Lodge is far more than just an occasional dinner club, it opens up a world of networking opportunities, evenings out, visits to other Lodges and Social Events for the whole family.
HISTORY
King Ælfred Lodge was established in 1956
It consecrated as an ‘Informal Lodge’ this meant that we were slightly less rigid in our ceremonies and we did not opt for Dinner Suits for our meetings, preferring instead Lounge Suits.
Events for all
Inclusive, Social Events for the Whole Family
We have created family focused social events, for example, a summer garden party, a Ladies Evening and a Christmas Lunch. We have also introduced themed dinners and special occasions on the meetings that we meet (Burns Night, Curry Night and Quiz Night to name a few).
MISSION STATEMENT
Fun, Accessible and Embracing Change
King Ælfred will be the most forward thinking and innovative Lodge in Hampshire. We will pioneer new ideas, refine best practice and look to ensure the very best experience for every member of our Lodge and every visitor that attends. We will try new ideas not just once but a couple of times to enable a refining process to take place and a proper evaluation to be completed and no ideas will be discounted. This will be conducted in an open minded and friendly manner conducive to the fraternity of which we are all members.
Why join us?
Freemasonry means different things to each of those who join. For some, it’s about making new friends and acquaintances. For others it’s about being able to help deserving causes – making a contribution to family and society or the theatre of the ritual. But most of all, it is an enjoyable hobby.
Making positive contributions
Charity is one of the fundamental tenets of Freemasonry. We encourage and support our members to contribute to the Masonic Charitable Foundation, Hampshire Festivals, communities and worthwhile causes through fundraising events or volunteer work.
There is no obligation to pay anything to charity at all and our members are mindful never to give more than they can afford. However we do as an organisation raise a significant amount of money for masonic and non-masonic charities and on a typical night you can expect a couple of optional raffles and a collection towards both Masonic and Non-Masonic charities.
What happens at a meeting?
A typical Lodge meeting commences with the arrival of the members in good time; often brethren will spend time socially in the bar before and after the business of the day. This comprises a ceremony conducted in our Lodge Room. The ceremonies are based on a number of plays installing the new master and the progressive advancement of new brethren into the fraternity.
After the ceremony we attend the evening dinner, otherwise known as the 'Festive Board' where we can socialise and enjoy a 3 course meal which includes toasts, speeches, communications and raffles.
Where we are
Winchester Masonic Centre
King Ælfred Lodge meets at the Winchester Masonic Centre (WMC) just outside the City of Winchester. The WMC is a purpose built with one of the best temples in the area and on site catering facilities including a bar.
It is the home of 10 other Lodges that meet on different nights. You can find out more at the Winchester Masonic Centre web site.
"I was encouraged into Freemasonry by a colleague after attending his Ladies Night. I loved the traditions, a sense of belonging and the opportunity to meet other like minded individuals"
Joining process
Are you interested in joining us?
If you are interested in becoming part of our fellowship and would like to find out more, we would love to hear from you and we can support through the joining process outlined below.
- Register your interest by completing and submitting the contact form
- A representative of our lodge will be in touch to arrange a meeting and answer any questions you may have.
- Join us for a social event so that you can get to know us and see what we are all about.
- Complete a short application form
- Attend a formal interview which we try to make as informal as reasonably possible.