The Town

Port Glasgow was originally a small settlement called Newark on the south bank of the River Clyde, about 20 miles west of the City of Glasgow. The name Newark possibly deriving from the nearby small Castle – Newark Castle, owned by the Maxwell family.

Trading ships from France and the low counties (Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg) were unloading ships here and their cargo was transferred onto small boats for transporting up the River Clyde to Bowling and then to Glasgow.

In 1667, the Town Council of Glasgow purchased land at Newark for the construction of a harbour and breakwater.

This became Glasgow’s first deep-water port and the settlement of Newark became known as Port of Glasgow.

In some 18^th century maps it is shown as Newport Glasgow.

After 1693, the street layout was laid, in a grid-iron style, similar to the City of Glasgow.

This still forms much of the town centre today.

The 1707 Treat of Union between Scotland and England (forming Great Britain) allowed the Glasgow merchants to trade with the British colonies in the Americas and India.

They traded in Tobacco and sugar from the America’s and tea and spices from India.

The trade winds from America made the River Clyde an ideal location for unloading valuable cargo and the Merchants (Tobacco Lords or Virginia Dons) became enormously wealthy.

The Town of Port Glasgow became a thriving town through the shipping and the merchants took up residence in the town.

The Lodge

On 17^th January 1746, the Freemasons of Port Glasgow, represented by six brethren, prompted by a Brother John Drummond, penned a letter to Mother Kilwinning. 

Their reason was – 

“…to procure a Decreet of Constitution from the Ancient Mother Lodge of Kilwinning in order that we, your true brethren, may meet with authority”

Which tends to suggest that they were already meeting without a charter.

Mother Kilwinning granted this request on 4^th February, 1746 and the lodge was given the name – Cumberland Kilwinning. They did not allocate a number at this time.

The Lodge met in a number of places in their early years.

In 1757, the brethren agreed it was time to lay down their roots and build a Masonic Temple of their own.

In the same year, around the time of the building of the lodge, a number of brethren of Cumberland Kilwinning went their own way and petitioned Mother Kilwinning to form another Lodge in the Town. This was granted on 4^th January, 1757 and given the name Lodge Dorick (Port Glasgow).

They were given the number 300. They are now known as Doric Kilwinning No.68.

Lodge Cumberland Kilwinning joined The Grand Lodge of Scotland on 2nd February, 1807 and was given the Number 277.

This was prior to Mother Kilwinning returning to The Grand Lodge of Scotland in 1808.

When the Kilwinning Lodges returned to the fold with Mother Kilwinning, the Kilwinning lodges were numbered chronologically on the roll of The Grand Lodge of Scotland.

This privilege was denied to Cumberland Kilwinning, as they had joined Grand Lodge prior to Mother Kilwinning.

In 1816 it was re-numbered 212, 216 in 1822 and finally, in 1826 it was re-numbered 217.

In comparison, Doric Kilwinning, chartered 13 years later than Cumberland Kilwinning, was re-numbered 67 in 1816, 63 in 1822 and finally, 68 in 1826.

In the late 1800’s, the brethren sold the lower part of the building as a school for boys. This was prior to the Education Act, 1872, when education was made compulsory for all children aged 5-13.

In 1812, Sir Michael Shaw Stewart, 5^th Baronet of Ardgowan, was commissioned as the first Provincial Grand Master of the Province of Renfrewshire and Dumbarton.

Other members of the House of Shaw Stewart succeeded him for the next 155 years.

In 1967, this reign ended and the brethren of the Province, now known as Renfrewshire West, elected Brother Sinclair Roxburgh, Past Master of Lodge Cumberland Kilwinning No.217, as Provincial Grand Master. 

He was the first Provincial Grand Master to be elected out-with the House of Shaw Stewart.

In 1988, Brother William M.H. Macfarlane, a Past Master of the Lodge, was installed as the Provincial Grand Master of the Province of Renfrewshire West.

He served in the office until1993.

In 1996, the Lodge celebrated its 250^th Anniversary.  The Lodge was re-dedicated by the Most Worshipful Grand Master Mason, Brother The Lord Burton, ably assisted by the Officer-bearers of the Grand Lodge of Scotland.

A large token was struck to mark this occasion. There was an exact amount for the brethren present. It is now a cherished collectors item.

In 2007, the Lodge celebrated the 250^th Anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone of the Temple. The Lodge was re-dedicated by the Most Worshipful Grand Master Mason, Brother Sir Archibald Donald Orr Ewing, The Earl of Elgin and Kincardine, ably assisted by the Officer-bearers of the Grand Lodge of Scotland.

As in 1996, a token was also struck to mark this occasion, depicting the lodge crest and a line sketch of the exterior of the temple. The brethren present all received the token. It is now a cherished collectors item. The lodge also struck a “similar” token, which is on general sale.

The Temple and the Old Town Hall are still used and maintained by the Brethren of Cumberland Kilwinning to this day.  They are two of the oldest buildings in the Port Glasgow. Access was gained to the building via an arched pend (alleyway), which lead to a small court yard. The brethren then climb a winding stairway into the lodge rooms.

The Masonic Temple is the oldest, purpose built, Masonic Temple in the World and has been in constant use by the lodge since the day it was built.

The brethren of the lodge have, in the main, been residents of Port Glasgow.  The cross section of occupations range from the common labourer to ship Captains.  They have taken a keen interest in the growth of the Town and many were elected as Town Councillors down through the centuries to present day. 

There is no doubt that the lodge has always been at the heart of the Port Glasgow community.