Governing Body, Headquarters & Eligibility Requirements
| Order / Jurisdiction Title | Order of Mark Master Masons & Royal Ark Mariners |
|---|---|
| Governing Body in the UK | Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of England and Wales |
| UK Headquarters | Mark Masons' Hall, 86 St James's Street, London, SW1A 1PL |
| Candidate Prerequisite | Must be a Master Mason in a Craft Lodge (in Scotland, the Mark degree is worked either in a Craft Lodge after the Second/Third Degree or in a Royal Arch Chapter). |
Degrees Worked & Symbolic Working Tools
Each ceremony within Mark Master Masons dramatises a specific episode of scriptural or chivalric allegory and entrusts the candidate with symbolic working tools:
| Degree / Ceremony | Moral & Historical Focus | Symbolic Working Tools |
|---|---|---|
| Degree of Mark Master Mason | Selection and registration of a personal Mason's Mark, honest labour, and the Keystone. | Mallet and Chisel. |
| Ancient and Honourable Fraternity of Royal Ark Mariners | Moored to Mark Lodges, commemorating Noah, the Deluge, and providential preservation. | Porphyry Stone, Compass, and Rainbow Apron. |
Historical Development in Britain
Operative stonemasons' marks appear in Scottish Lodge minutes from 1599. The first recorded speculative Mark ceremony in England took place at Royal Cumberland Chapter in Portsmouth in 1769 under Thomas Dunckerley. The Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons was formed in 1856 and meets at 86 St James's Street in London.
Official Apron, Sash & Breast Jewel Regulations
Regalia & Dress Guidelines for Mark Master Masons
Mark Master Masons wear a white leather apron with a triangular flap bordered with light blue ribbon edged with crimson, and a breast jewel crafted from a white keystone suspended from a blue and crimson ribbon.
Need regulation aprons, breast jewels, or signet rings for Mark Master Masons? Explore our UK Masonic Regalia, Jewels & Signet Rings Hub.
Related Masonic Symbols & Ritual Guides
Working Tools of Each Degree
Speculative Freemasonry teaches moral philosophy by taking the physical iron and wooden implements of medieval cathedral stonemasons ('Operative Masons') and assigning an ethical meaning to each tool across the three Craft Degrees.
Boaz & Jachin Pillars
Standing at the porchway or entrance of every Masonic temple are two symbolic columns adorned with lilies, network, pomegranates, and celestial and terrestrial globes: Boaz on the left and Jachin on the right, modelled on the two hollow bronze pillars cast by Hiram of Tyre for King Solomon's Temple.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mark Master Masons
Why is Mark Masonry known as the Friendly Degree?
Mark Lodge ceremonies combine instructive ritual Drama – complete with gentle humour around the overseers inspecting the stones – with a warm, relaxed atmosphere that makes it the most popular progressive Order after the Royal Arch.