7th May 2026 - A Truly Glittering HillTop JLOI

Annual Formal Joint Lodge of Instruction – Cirencester

The HillTop Annual Formal Joint Lodge of Instruction is always something special – a chance for our three lodges to come together, refresh our ritual, enjoy good company, and remember why Freemasonry is best experienced collectively. This year’s JLOI, however, proved to be something genuinely memorable.

Held in Cirencester, the evening became much more than a Lodge of Instruction. We were delighted to attend, alongside a very healthy contingent of visitors, a regular meeting of Lodge Glittering Star No. 322 I.C., who kindly welcomed us as their guests and initiated Mr Glen Millar.

And what a night it was.

HillTop: Three Lodges, One Hill (and Quite a Lot of Paperwork)

For anyone unfamiliar with the HillTop concept, we are a collaboration of three independent lodges:

• The Prince of Wales Lodge
• Sudeley Castle Lodge
• Chipping Campden Lodge

We usually meet in Stow‑on‑the‑Wold and Chipping Campden, and have chosen to work together to share ideas, events, and enthusiasm for Freemasonry in the North Cotswolds.

That collaboration works wonderfully… right up until you remember one awkward detail:
HillTop isn’t actually a lodge.

When plans were first made to host our Annual Formal JLOI with Glittering Star, this minor technicality emerged. A simple dispensation, we thought, would solve it.

It did not.

What followed was a careful, courteous, and impressively lengthy exchange of correspondence, forms, and discussions that demonstrated – once again – that Freemasons excel at ritual… and show heroic levels of patience with administration.

Thankfully, persistence paid off.

Enter Lodge Glittering Star – A Lodge That Truly Travels

Thanks to the remarkable flexibility of the Irish Constitution, and the genuinely travelling nature of Lodge Glittering Star No. 322 I.C., a solution presented itself.

Glittering Star is one of only two remaining military travelling lodges still holding an active Travelling Warrant under the Grand Lodge of Ireland. This gives them the extraordinary ability to meet anywhere in the world, on any date they choose, with just three sensible exceptions:

• Not on Sundays
• Not on Good Friday
• And definitely not on Christmas Day

(Even the Grand Lodge of Ireland knows better than to compete with turkey, whiskey, and family get togethers!)

Founded in 1759, with its warrant originally issued to the 29th Regiment of Foot in County Kilkenny, Glittering Star is not just old – it is seriously old. Its history stretches across continents, parade grounds, and centuries, including involvement in the founding of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts in 1769.

In short, if any lodge was equipped to turn an administrative obstacle into a historic and unforgettable evening, it was Glittering Star.

The Ceremony – Irish Workings, with a HillTop Contribution

We were honoured to witness the initiation of Mr Glen Millar, conducted under Irish workings — something very different for many English Constitution brethren.

The ceremony was precise, powerful, and beautifully delivered. It was so well‑drilled that several English Directors of Ceremonies were later seen quietly questioning both their confidence and their notebooks.

A particularly special moment came when, with the kind agreement of Lodge Glittering Star, the HillTop brethren conducted the Initiate’s Chain — a practice not normally undertaken in Irish workings.

It was a moving and symbolic moment, reinforcing unity, shared commitment, and brotherly support. We very much hope it made a lasting impression on the candidate and demonstrated how different traditions can combine to enhance the Masonic experience rather than dilute it.

And of course, no visit from Glittering Star would be complete without their travelling altar, specified as being “not less than four feet by two feet, but not so large as to prevent perambulation.”
Only the Irish could describe furniture with military precision and poetic flair in the same sentence.

A Strong Military Theme – and Old Comrades Reunited

The evening carried a strong military theme, entirely fitting for a travelling lodge with such deep military roots. That theme was brought vividly to life by the renewal of old comradeships — reminders that Freemasonry has a remarkable habit of reconnecting men long separated by time and circumstance.

It was especially moving to see Bro Julian Willis of Gooch Lodge, Swindon, W. Bro Brian Hope, WM of Icknield Way Lodge, and W. Bro Ian Jackson of The Prince of Wales Lodge come together once again.

These three brethren joined up together 41 years ago, walked similar paths in service, and on this evening found themselves reunited in the Lodge — not by rank or uniform, but by fraternity.

Few things illustrate the enduring power of Freemasonry better than that:
shared beginnings, separate journeys… and a reconnection across decades, brought about by the Square, the Compasses, and a shared sense of purpose.

Fellowship in the Truest Sense

The meeting drew an impressive number of visitors, representing lodges from across the region and beyond. It was one of those evenings that remind us of a simple truth:

If you combine:

• A travelling Irish lodge
• Three English lodges working together
• A promise of excellent ritual
• And the words “Festive Board”

…Freemasons will travel remarkable distances, navigate dark country roads, and find one another with near‑magical reliability.

Laughter, friendship, shared curiosity, and genuine warmth filled the room – the very things a Lodge of Instruction should inspire.

Why Evenings Like This Matter

This JLOI reminded us that Freemasonry thrives when we:

• Share traditions across Constitutions
• Learn from one another’s practices
• Laugh at ourselves
• And occasionally overcome bureaucracy with good humour and determination

Seeing an Irish Travelling Lodge at work was educational, inspiring, and uplifting – a vivid reminder that Freemasonry is both deeply rooted in history and vibrantly alive today.

Our Thanks

Our sincere thanks go to Lodge Glittering Star No. 322 I.C. for travelling such considerable distances to be with us, for sharing your remarkable history, and for delivering a ceremony that will stay with us for a long time.

And to Mr Glen Millar: congratulations on an initiation you will never forget.

May Glittering Star’s warrant continue to travel proudly, may your ceremonies continue to inspire, and may your next meeting be somewhere suitably exotic…

…like Stow‑on‑the‑Wold, once the restaurant paperwork is finally finished.