Stratford-upon-Avon
Our Masonic Hall
Our Masonic Hall is the home of David Garrick Lodge and several other lodges in the Stratford-upon-Avon area. It is a place of ceremony, fellowship and community.
History
History of the masonic hall
The chapel's origins
Today's Masonic Hall was originally a chapel on Great William Street, consecrated by the Primitive Methodists in 1866. The Primitive Methodists were a 19th-century working-class revivalist movement within Methodism, known for open-air preaching, camp meetings, lay leadership and a strong commitment to social justice. The movement emerged in England around 1807–1811 and spread widely across the UK and beyond.
Primitive Methodism in context
By 1824, the Primitive Methodists had established 72 circuits across England. Their influence extended through rural southern England, the Midlands, Hull, Sunderland and the Isle of Wight. By the late 19th century, the movement had grown to more than 200,000 members.
Joseph Arch and local social history
Joseph Arch, born in Barford, Warwickshire, in 1826, was a local hedger by trade and later became a Primitive Methodist lay preacher. In 1872, he founded the Warwickshire Agricultural Labourers' Union, the first organisation of its kind. He frequently addressed meetings in Rother Market during the farmworkers' strike. Arch went on to serve as Liberal MP for North-West Norfolk from 1885 and became one of the first working men to enter Parliament.
From chapel to Masonic Hall
In 1932, the Primitive Methodists merged with other Methodist groups to form the Methodist Church of Great Britain. The Great William Street chapel closed that same year following reunification with the Wesleyans, the mainstream Methodist movement rooted in the teachings of John and Charles Wesley.
Wartime use and later changes
During the Second World War, from April 1942 to November 1944, the RAF requisitioned the building. When it was returned in 1944, the walls were covered with large and impressive paintings of Spitfires and other fighter aircraft, some around 20 feet high. These paintings attracted considerable interest and admiration, but disappeared in 1960 when the premises were extended and an additional floor was installed.
Today, the building continues its long history of community use as our Masonic Hall.
About the hall
A place of ceremony and fellowship
Our Masonic Hall provides a dignified and welcoming setting for our lodge meetings and social events. The temple room is furnished and decorated in the traditional Masonic style, creating an atmosphere of solemnity and purpose for our ceremonies.
After meetings, members gather in the dining room for the festive board — a meal shared in good company, with conversation and laughter that reflects the spirit of Masonic fellowship.
The hall is also available for hire for private functions and events. Please contact us for more information.
Address
The Masonic TempleGreat William Street
Stratford-upon-Avon
Warwickshire
CV37 6RY
Visiting the hall
If you are interested in visiting our hall or attending a meeting as a guest, please get in touch and we will be happy to arrange it.
Contact usLocation
How do I get there?
Travelling in and around Stratford-upon-Avon is well served by trains and buses.
If travelling by car, parking is a short walk away at either:
Arden Street Car Park — 18 Arden St, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6NW
Windsor Street Car Park — 21 Windsor St, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6NL
Facilities
What the hall offers
Temple room
A beautifully appointed ceremonial room, furnished in the traditional Masonic style, providing a dignified setting for lodge meetings and ceremonies.
Dining room
A comfortable dining room where members gather after meetings for the festive board — good food, good wine and good company.
Meeting rooms
Additional rooms available for committee meetings, practice evenings and other lodge activities.