Documents

There are no additional online documents for this record.

Summary

Description

Currie, Scott & Young, 1766; substantial additions 1939. Single storey, 4-bay, rectangular-plan lodge. Sandstone rubble, harled in places, polished raised margins.

SE (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: obscured by harled, flat-roofed 1939 additions.

NE ELEVATION: not seen 2000.

NW ELEVATION: obscured to left by harled addition; window to flanking bay to right, infilled with brick.

SW ELEVATION: harled; doorway to bay to left, with sandstone infill; 3 regularly placed window openings to right, all with harled infills; piend-roofed addition to outer right.

Window openings to lodge predominantly infilled. Piended graded grey slate roof with lead ridges and inset louvred ventilators. PVCu and cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: rectangular-plan principal room; boarded floor covers original flooring; panelled timber door to NE side, flanked to left by small round-arched recess (supposedly to bottomless pit), depressed-arched niche flanking doorway to right, housing statue of St Andrew, by Sir John Steele, 1827, stained glass memorial window opposite; segmental-arched niche to SE, with hexagonal sounding board oversailing; coombed ceiling with plaster cornices. Datestone from lodge, reading "1766" set in wall of 1939 addition.

Statement of Special Interest

Dalkeith Masonic Lodge is one of the oldest purpose built lodges in the world and one of 2 in Scotland. The other is now in possession of the Royal Order of Scotland, a property occupied until recently by Canongate Kilwinning Lodge, No 2, in Edinburgh, built in 1735 with the members first meeting there in December that year. J F Millar (Country Life, see above) points out that until recently St John's Lodge, Newport, Rhode Island, built in 1759 by Peter Harrison (but not consecrated until 1803), predated the Scottish lodge, however it was recently sold to be converted into a house. Minute books for Dalkeith Masonic Lodge date back to 1764, when the first plans to erect a lodge began on the anniversary of St John the Evangelist, (27 December 1764). The site of the lodge was in the garden of Mr Barclays' school, which belonged to a William Hardy, who agreed to feu an area of his garden for 12s 6d per year. The building was consecrated on 24 August 1767, although it was finished the year before. Dalkeith Masonic Lodge has been substantially extended, the original meeting room survives largely intact. The wooden statue of St Andrew in the meeting room is by Sir John Steele (b. 1804), who was Sculptor to Queen Victoria between 1838 and 1891. The statue was originally at the door of the North British Fire and Life Insurance Company in Princes Street (at Hanover Street), which was burned down, the statue was subsequently gifted to the lodge by Sir James Walker Drummond.

Another lodge in an early structure, if not purpose built, is Lodge Elgin and Bruce, No 1077, Linekilns, Fife which meets in the King's Cellars there.

References

Bibliography

About Listed Buildings

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Listing is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for buildings of special architectural or historic interest as set out in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997.

We list buildings which are found to be of special architectural or historic interest using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Listed building records provide an indication of the special architectural or historic interest of the listed building which has been identified by its statutory address. The description and additional information provided are supplementary and have no legal weight.

These records are not definitive historical accounts or a complete description of the building(s). If part of a building is not described it does not mean it is not listed. The format of the listed building record has changed over time. Earlier records may be brief and some information will not have been recorded.

The legal part of the listing is the address/name of site which is known as the statutory address. Other than the name or address of a listed building, further details are provided for information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland does not accept any liability for any loss or damage suffered as a consequence of inaccuracies in the information provided. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing. Even if a number or name is missing from a listing address it will still be listed. Listing covers both the exterior and the interior and any object or structure fixed to the building. Listing also applies to buildings or structures not physically attached but which are part of the curtilage (or land) of the listed building as long as they were erected before 1 July 1948.

While Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating listed buildings, the planning authority is responsible for determining what is covered by the listing, including what is listed through curtilage. However, for listed buildings designated or for listings amended from 1 October 2015, legal exclusions to the listing may apply.

If part of a building is not listed, it will say that it is excluded in the statutory address and in the statement of special interest in the listed building record. The statement will use the word 'excluding' and quote the relevant section of the 1997 Act. Some earlier listed building records may use the word 'excluding', but if the Act is not quoted, the record has not been revised to reflect subsequent legislation.

Listed building consent is required for changes to a listed building which affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest. The relevant planning authority is the point of contact for applications for listed building consent.

Find out more about listing and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.