After the departure of the Romans from Britain, masonry made but
a slow progress, and in a little time was almost totally neglected, on account
of the irruptions of the Picts and Scots, which obliged the southern inhabitants
of the island to solicit the assistance of the Saxons, to repel these invaders.
As the Saxons increased, the native Britons sunk into obscurity, and ere long
yielded the superiority to their protectors, who acknowledged their sovereignty
and jurisdiction. These rough and ignorant heathens, despising every thing but
war, soon put a finishing stroke to all the remains of ancient learning which
had escaped the fury of the Picts and Scots. They continued their depredations
with unrestrained rigour, till the arrival of some pious teachers from Wales and
Scotland, when many of these savages being reconciled to Christianity, masonry
got into repute, and lodges were again formed *; but these being under the
direction of foreigners, were seldom convened, and never attained to any degree
of consideration or importance.
Masonry continued in a declining state till the year 557, when Austin, with
forty more monks, among whom the sciences had been preserved, came into England.
Austin was commissioned by pope Gregory, to baptize Ethelbert king of Kent, who
appointed him the first archbishop of Canterbury. This monk, and his associates,
propagated the principles of christianity among the inhabitants of Britain, and
by their influence, in little more than sixty years, all the kings of the
heptarchy were converted. Masonry flourished under the patronage of Austin, and
many foreigners came at this time into England, who introduced the Gothic style
of building. Austin seems to have been a zealous encourager of architecture, for
he appeared at the head of the fraternity in founding the old cathedra of
Canterbury in 600, and the cathedral of Rochester in 602; St. Paul's, London, in
604; St. Peter's, Westminster, in 605; and many others *. Several palaces and
castles were built under his auspices, as well as other fortifications on the
borders of the kingdom, by which means the number of masons in England was
considerably increased.
Some expert brethren arrived from France in 680, and formed themselves into a
lodge, under the direction of Bennet, abbot of Wirral, who was soon after
appointed by Kenred, king of Mercia, inspector of the lodges, and general
superintendant of the masons.
During the heptarchy, masonry continued in a low state; but in the year 856, it
revived under the patronage of St. Swithin, who was employed by Ethelwolph, the
Saxon king, to repair some pious houses; and from that time it gradually
improved till the reign of Alfred, A. D. 872, when, in the person of that
prince, it found a zealous protector.
Masonry has generally kept pace with the progress of learning; the patrons and
encouragers of the latter having been most remarkable for cultivating and
promoting the former. No prince studied more to polish and improve the
understandings of his subjects than Alfred, and no one ever proved a better
friend to masonry. By his indefatigable assiduity in the pursuit of knowledge,
his example had powerful influence, and he speedily reformed the dissolute and
barbarous manners of his people. Mr. Hume, in his History of England, relates
the following particulars of this celebrated prince:
"Alfred usually divided his time into three equal portions: one was employed in sleep, and the refection of his body by diet and exercise; another in the dispatch of business; and a third, in study and devotion. That he might more exactly measure the hours, he made use of burning tapers of equal lengths, which he fixed in lanthorns; and expedient suited to that rude age, when the art of describing sun-dials, and the mechanism of clocks and watches, were totally unknown. By this regular distribution of time, though he often laboured under great bodily infirmities, this martial hero, who fought in person fifty-six battles by sea and land, was able, during a life of no extraordinary length, to acquire more knowledge, and even to compose more books, than most studious men, blest with greater leisure and application, have done in more fortunate ages."
As this prince was not negligent in encouraging the mechanical
arts, masonry claimed a great part of his attention. He invited from all
quarters industrious foreigners to repeople his country, which had been
desolated by the ravages of the Danes. He introduced and encouraged manufactures
of all kinds among them: no inventor or improver of any ingenious art did he
suffer to go unrewarded; and he appropriated a seventh part of his revenue for
maintaining a number of workmen, whom he constantly employed in rebuilding his
ruined cities, castles, palaces, and monasteries. The university of Oxford was
founded by him.
On the death of Alfred in 900, Edward succeeded to the throne, during whose
reign the masons continued to hold their lodges, under the sanction of Ethred,
his sister's husband, and Ethelward, his brother, to whom the care of the
fraternity was intrusted. Ethelward was a prince of great learning, and an able
architect; he founded the university of Cambridge.
Edward died in 924, and was succeeded by Athelstane his son, who appointed his
brother Edwin, patron of the masons, This prince procured a charter from
Athelstane, empowering them to meet annually in communication at York, where the
first Grand Lodge of England was formed in 926, at which Edwin presided as Grand
Master. Here many old writings were produced, in Greek, Latin, and other
languages, from which the constitutions of the English lodges are originally
derived *.
Athelstane kept his court for some time at York, where he received several
embassies from foreign princes, with rich presents of various kinds. He was
loved, honoured, and admired by all the princes of Europe, who sought his
friendship and courted his alliance. He was a mild sovereign, a kind brother,
and a true friend. The only blemish which historians find in the whole reign of
Athelstane, is the supposed murder of his brother Edwin. This youth, who was
distinguished for his virtues, having died two years before his brother, a false
report was spread, of his being wrongfully put to death by him. But this is so
improbable in itself, so inconsistent with the character of Athelstane, and
indeed so slenderly attested, as to be undeserving a place in history *.
The activity and princely conduct of Edwin qualified him, in every respect, to
preside over so celebrated a body of men as the masons, who were employed under
him in repairing and building many churches and superb edifices, which had been
destroyed by the ravages of the Danes and other invaders, not only in the city
of York, but at Beverley, and other places.
On the death of Edwin, Athelstane undertook in person the direction of the
lodges, and the art of masonry was propagated in peace and security under his
sanction.
When Athelstane died, the masons dispersed, and the lodges continued in an
unsettled state till the reign of Edgar in 960, when the fraternity were again
collected by St. Dunstan, under whole auspices they were employed on some pious
structures, but met with no permanent encouragement.
After Edgar's death, masonry remained in a low condition upwards of fifty years.
In 1041, it revived under the patronage of Edward the Confessor, who
superintended the execution of several great works. He rebuilt Westminster
Abbey, assisted by Leofrick earl of Coventry, whom he appointed to superintend
the masons. The Abbey of Coventry, and many other structures, were finished by
this accomplished architect.
William the Conqueror having acquired the crown of England in 1066, he appointed
Gundulph bishop of Rochester, and Roger de Montgomery earl of Shrewsbury, joint
patrons of the masons, who at this time excelled both in civil and military
architecture. Under their auspices the fraternity were employed in building the
Tower of London, which was completed in the reign of William Rufus, who rebuilt
London-bridge with wood, and first constructed the palace and hall of
Westminster in 1087.
On the accession of Henry I. the lodges continued to assemble. From this prince,
the first Magna Charta, or charter of liberties, was obtained by the Normans.
Stephen succeeded Henry in 1135, and employed the fraternity in building a
chapel at Westminster, now the House of Commons, and several other works. These
were finished under the direction of Gilbert de Clare marquis of Pembroke, who
at this time presided over the lodges.
During the reign of Henry II. the Grand Master of the Knights Templars
superintended the masons, and employed them in building their Temple in
Fleet-street, A. D. 1155. Masonry continued under the patronage of this Order
till the year 1199, when John succeeded his brother Richard in the crown of
England. Peter de Colechurch was then appointed Grand Master. He began to
rebuild London-bridge with stone, which was afterwards finished by William
Alcmain in 1209. Peter de Rupibus succeeded Peter de Colechurch in the office of
Grand Master, and Geoffrey Fitz-Peter, chief surveyor of the king's works, acted
as his deputy. Under the auspices of these two artists, masonry flourished
during the remainder of this and the following reign.