30th Sept 2026 - Back to Duty – Hilltop Freemasonry Gets Back in the Saddle

Summer is officially over.

The sun tans have started to fade, the holiday washing has finally been put away, and the excuses about why nobody could make the last meeting have conveniently disappeared.

In other words, brethren, it’s time to get back to work.

Across the North Cotswolds, the three Hilltop Lodges have been emerging from their summer hibernation and returning to that familiar cycle of summonses, ritual, friendship—and trying to remember exactly where we left off in the ritual book in June.

There was, of course, plenty of catching up to do. Holiday stories were exchanged, suntans compared and tales of airport chaos and interminable motorway queues grew progressively more dramatic with every telling. By the end of the first evening, several brethren appeared to have personally survived the collapse of the entire European transport network.

But, most importantly, the brethren were back together.

Sudeley Castle Lodge – 50 Years in the Craft

First out of the blocks was Sudeley Castle Lodge, which met on 21 September.

And what better way to restart the Masonic season than by celebrating someone who has been doing it for considerably longer than most of us have been capable of remembering our passwords?

The Lodge had the great pleasure of presenting WBro Peter King with his 50-year certificate.

Fifty years is quite some achievement.

It represents half a century of meetings, friendships, ritual, dining, laughter, countless handshakes and probably a few occasions when someone has said, “We’ve always done it this way.”

A 50-year certificate is much more than a piece of paper. It recognises a lifetime of commitment to Freemasonry and, importantly, to the friendships and fellowship that sit at its heart. Congratulations, Peter—and here’s to the next one!

Prince of Wales Lodge – Grey Cells Rebooted

On 25 September it was the turn of The Prince of Wales Lodge No. 951. The evening featured a presentation by WBro David Turton, entitled “Remarkable Ecclesiastes”.

For those whose biblical knowledge had gone into summer hibernation, this was an opportunity to dust it off.  And there was another challenge for the brethren. The Lodge decided that it was time to find out whether several months away from the ritual book had resulted in permanent memory loss. So, rather bravely, the brethren opened and closed the Lodge in full in all three degrees.

It was a little like restarting an old computer.

There was a moment of uncertainty.

There was some searching.

There may even have been the occasional internal question of, “Was that my cue?”

But the grey cells survived—and Lodge 951 got through it.

The evening also saw the presentation of a Grand Lodge Certificate to Bro Christy Murray, another important milestone in his Masonic journey.

The evening also provided an opportunity for the Lodge to recognise one of its most respected and valued friends.

WBro Paul Leadbeater was presented with Honorary Membership of The Prince of Wales Lodge, a distinction that was received with unanimous warmth and enthusiasm.

Paul is well known across the Hilltop Lodges as one of the founding architects of the Hilltop concept, which has done so much to strengthen friendship, cooperation and fellowship between our Lodges. His influence extends far beyond meetings and committees. Over many years he has been a mentor, guide, supporter and trusted friend to countless brethren across the North Cotswolds.

Many of us have benefited from Paul's encouragement, wisdom and quiet counsel and we are absolutely delighted that he has accepted Honorary Membership of The Prince of Wales Lodge. It is a thoroughly deserved recognition for someone who has contributed so much to so many.

So, all in all, a busy evening: An Honorary Membership, Remarkable Ecclesiastes, three degree opening and closing, a Grand Lodge Certificate—and proof that the summer sun hadn’t completely fried the collective memory of the Lodge.

And Then Came the Skittles…But Prince of Wales wasn’t finished for the week.

On 26 September, the brethren swapped the Lodge room for the skittles alley for a social evening against Perseverance Lodge.

And if anyone had been wondering whether Freemasonry could combine competition, fellowship and fundraising, the answer was emphatically yes.

There was money raised for good causes, plenty of competitive spirit and, the craic was mighty.

Skittles is, of course, a game that brings out the very best in Freemasons.

There is friendship. There is fellowship. There is generosity.

And then, somewhere around the third pint, there is a very strong opinion about whether that was actually a nine.

The evening was particularly poignant because it was the Worshipful Master’s last social outing in the chair. And what a way to finish it.

Good company, good humour, a little healthy rivalry, money raised for charity and plenty of stories to take home afterwards.

If every Master gets to choose his final social event, it would be difficult to ask for a better send-off.

The evening was also particularly significant as it marked the final official outing of WBro Alan as Charity Steward, bringing to a close a remarkable period of service to the Lodge.

Over the years Alan has been the driving force behind countless social events, raffles, fundraisers and charity initiatives. Through his enthusiasm, organisation and gentle persistence ("Have you bought your raffle tickets yet?"), he has helped raise many thousands of pounds for local charities while bringing brethren, families and friends together for some memorable occasions.

Saturday night's event was a fitting finale. The skittles evening raised £380, which will be shared between the charitable funds of Prince of Wales Lodge and Perseverance Lodge.

In recognition of his outstanding contribution, Worshipful Master Giles and his wife Jen presented Alan with a pair of retirement slippers, ensuring that after years of charitable service he can finally put his feet up in comfort and supervise future fundraising efforts from a safe distance.

They also presented him with a special pen. This was not, as some initially assumed, to sign important charitable cheques, but to replace the pen that mysteriously disappeared at the Summer BBQ. Whether it was lost, borrowed indefinitely, or entered witness protection remains a matter of ongoing investigation. Thankfully, Alan is now fully equipped for retirement and can once again write shopping lists, charity notes and stern reminders about raffle ticket sales without limitation.

The applause Alan received spoke volumes. His contribution as Charity Steward has been immense and his efforts have touched many lives both within and beyond Freemasonry. While he may be retiring from the role, his shoes will be difficult to fill, even if his new slippers appear to fit perfectly.

Chipping Campden – A New Beginning

Then, on 28 September, Chipping Campden Lodge continued the Hilltop return to duty by initiating a new candidate.

And what better way to start the new Freemason season! While the other Lodges were remembering where they had put their ritual books, Chipping Campden was introducing a new Brother, Lee Rivers to Freemasonry.

It is a useful reminder that, while traditions and ceremonies remain at the heart of what we do, every new candidate brings something fresh to the Craft.

For Lee, it was the beginning of a journey. For the rest of us, it was another opportunity to remember why we joined in the first place.

Remembering WBro Dave Bates

But this return to Freemason activity also comes with a reminder that our time together is precious.

On 9 September, during a Prince of Wales Chapter meeting, we suffered the sudden and tragic loss of W.Bro Dave Bates—“Batsie”.

Dave collapsed and died during the meeting. There really are no easy words for an event like that. Dave was an enthusiastic Freemason who thoroughly enjoyed his time in the Craft and, particularly, the fellowship he shared with brethren across the Hilltop Lodges.

He was one of those characters who contributed something simply by being there. He enjoyed Freemasonry, enjoyed the company of his fellow Masons and was always part of the wider Hilltop family. His sudden passing has been deeply felt by brethren across all three Lodges.

We will miss him.

But perhaps the best way to remember Dave is not simply with sadness, but with the things he enjoyed: the friendships, the banter, the ritual, the meals, the stories and the shared experiences that make Freemasonry what it is. The Lodge room can sometimes be a serious place, but it is also a place of laughter, friendship and fellowship.

Dave understood that. And he certainly helped provide plenty of it.

We remember Batsie with great affection, and our thoughts remain with his family and all those who knew him.

Back to Business

And so, with summer officially behind us, the Hilltop Lodges are back in business.

Three Lodges.

Three very different evenings.

One shared Masonic family.

There will be plenty more ritual, meetings, presentations, social events and opportunities to meet up with old friends—and, no doubt, plenty more stories about the summer.

The suntans will fade. The holiday memories will become increasingly exaggerated. The stories about traffic jams will somehow get longer. And the ritual books will once again become familiar companions. But perhaps that is one of the great pleasures of Freemasonry. We go away. We come back.

And when we do, the familiar faces are still there. We pick up the conversation almost where we left it, share a laugh, get back to our duties and carry on doing what Freemasons have done for generations—meeting on the level, supporting one another and enjoying good fellowship.

So welcome back, brethren.

The summer break is over.

The Lodge doors are open.

The ritual books are out.

The grey cells are warming up.

And Hilltop Freemasonry is back on parade.

And somewhere, no doubt, someone is still arguing that it was definitely a nine.

 

The HillTop Joint Lodge of Instruction brings together Prince of Wales Lodge No. 951, Chipping Campden Lodge No. 5452 and Sudeley Castle Lodge No. 8976 to promote learning, fellowship and friendship across the North Cotswolds Freemason community.