About Us
This Lodge Banner was presented by His Grace, George Murray 6th Duke of Atholl to St John's Lodge, Caledonian, Dunkeld No. 14 after he was installed as Master of the Lodge in 1841.
The banner was refurbished and unveiled by His Grace, Bruce George Murray 12th Duke of Atholl on May 28th 2016, in the presence of the Master of the Lodge, Shaun V G McKillop, the Substitute Provincial Grand Master James A McDonald along with past Masters and Brethren of the United Lodge of Dunkeld No. 14.
When do we meet ?
Regular meetings -
Last Thursday of the month, January - April + September - November
Please check our Upcoming Events
page for details of regular meetings and any special events.
Next Regular Meeting
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Some Lodge History.......
Located in the beautiful town of Dunkeld in Perthshire, the United Lodge of Dunkeld has been in operation since 1734. And now falls under the jurisdiction of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Perthshire West. There is documentary evidence of a Masonic Lodge of Freemasonry in Dunkeld dating back to 1734, however, there is room to suggest that masonry flourished in Dunkeld before this date. The first minute book notes the formation of the "second" Lodge of Dunkeld on December 27th, 1734. Was this a reference to an earlier body of Freemasons or to the Operative Masons who worked on the building of the Cathedral where their marks can be seen to this day? Sadly, only these scant clues remain. It is reasonable to suppose that all documentary evidence of earliest masonry perished when all literature was put to the torch in the aftermath of the battle of Dunkeld
in 1689.
So it was in 1734 that proper rules were laid down and regulations drawn up and the first office bearers were elected. In July of the following year one James Murray was elected Master and so began a long and cherished relationship between this Lodge and the Dukes of Atholl (or Dukes of Athole. An interesting talk was given on the subject of the 6th Duke of Athole
by Bro David Brown PM of The Athole Lodge No 384). Over a period of 200 years no less than five Dukes of Atholl were to serve as Right Worshipful Masters of the Lodge of Dunkeld. St. John as it became known. The 6th Duke, Master here for 18 years until 1864, was also Grand Master Mason of Scotland.
In the early days the Lodge met mainly in private houses and several are mentioned by name in the records. On 17th February 1737 an approach was made from Grand Lodge
with a view to the joining of this Lodge. Mysteriously, no further reference to this matter is made for almost 20 years. Then on the first day of August 1757 the Charter of the Lodge was recorded in Grand Lodge and witnessed by the then Grand Master Mason, Lord Aberdour. The Charter, although dated 1757, was made effective from April 1737 as it was recorded on the Roll of Grand Lodge on that date.
On July 28, 1772 a letter was read from Grand Lodge stating that a petition had been received from certain persons asking for a Charter to constitute a separate
Lodge under the title of the Dunkeld Operative Lodge. Permission was given, and Lodge Dunkeld Operative No. 152 came into being. After many years the two Lodges began to visit one another on a regular basis and joined together in many processions through Dunkeld. So close did this relationship grow that on 1st August 1935 the Lodge of Dunkeld St. John No. 14 and Lodge Dunkeld Operative No. 152 joined to become the United Lodge of Dunkeld No. 14, spoken "one four" as opposed to "fourteen".
50 years since they joined, the Lodge has continued to be very active and since the War the Lodge has regularly met in our present rooms at Tay Terrace Dunkeld, having met at the Station and Little Dunkeld Church Hall during the War years owing to the Military being billeted in the Hall.
