Officers of the Lodge - appointed Tuesday 19th November 2019
Past Masters of and in the Lodge
Portcullis Lodge News and Events
Langport Masonic Hall, meeting place for Portcullis Mark Lodge
In his book, ‘Langport and its Church’, the late Reverend DM Ross says,
“a commission was held in Langport Church in 1317 about the appointment of a head of Cannington Priory and about this time, the Hanging Chapel was built. It was in existence before the manorial Accounts of 1344 and was then called the The Building described as the ‘Hanging Chapel’ was used as the Town Hall between 1547 and 1600 and in 1596 reference is made to the ‘”own Hall commonly called the ‘Hanging Chapel’, which the whole town of Langport so use the said Chapel for a place for consultation about such causes as they have in hand”.
It was handed over to the school about 1706 and continued as such until 1790.
From 1809-1816 it was let to Colonel Pinney for the local militia to use as a store.
In 1827 it was let to Mr Burt for £3 per annum and in 1843 ‘ the east and west guard walls were rebuilt’ and at this time, ‘the fire engine was stored in the Chapel Gardens’.
In 1843 it was let to Mr E Quekett for a museum and in 1891 it was let to the present occupants, The Portcullis Lodge , who are responsible for the repairs.
On the 26th July 1988 Portcullis Lodge of Mark Master Masons No 1656 held its first meeting in the hanging chapel and are the only Lodge in the Province who can truly say “that they meet over the road”.
W.Bro BJ Baker