Welcome to The Provincial Priory of Knights Templar of Gloucestershire & Herefordshire which I hope will be of interest, and of use to both Knights of the Order and to Freemasons who wish to learn more and may be thinking of joining. The Order is made up of Christian Freemasons, and has the longest title of any Masonic Order.
“Preserve, O Lord, our Brother Knights
by land and sea and air,
and as we hold them in our thoughts,
so keep them in thy care.”
We utilise the history and practices of the medieval Knights Templar as a basis for our ceremonies, although we have no direct link with those “Knights of Old”. The Great Priory of the United Orders, which is based in London, manages the Order, via a number of “Provinces” or “Provincial Priories” throughout England and Wales and many other parts of the world.
The Provincial Priory of Gloucestershire & Herefordshire, constituted in 1960 encompasses the Gloucestershire & Herefordshire County boundaries with meeting places from Stapleton & Downend in the south to Hereford in the North. I have had the great privilege of heading the Province since 2022. A Province is made up of a number of private units called Preceptories. In Gloucestershire & Herefordshire there are 9 Preceptories meeting at Masonic Halls in many towns throughout the Counties, and strangely enough two on the outskirts of Bristol! The oldest is at Cheltenham, with the newest being the Bodyguard and Past Preceptors Preceptory.
Preceptories in the Province of Gloucestershire and Herefordshire
Coteswold Preceptory of St. Augustin No. 72
Masonic Hall, Portland Street, Cheltenham GL52 2PB
King Richard I Preceptory No. 341
Masonic Hall, Shrubbery Road, Downend, Bristol. BS16 5TB
Dean Forest Preceptory of St. Mary No. 365
Masonic Hall, Station Road, Newnham. GL14 1DA
Sir Thomas Docwra Preceptory No. 376
Masonic Hall, 3 Kyrle Street, Hereford. HR1 2EU
Stroud Preceptory of St. Michael No. 406
Stroud Masonic Hall, The Hill, Stroud. GL5 4EP
Corinium Preceptory of St. John the Baptist No. 493
Masonic Hall, The Avenue, Cirencester. GL7 1EH
Avon Preceptory of St. Andrew No. 501
Masonic Hall, Park Road, Stapleton. BS16 1DT
Gloucester Preceptory of St. Nicholas No. 506
Masonic Hall, Cross Keys Lane, Gloucester. GL1 2HQ
Jean Parisot De La Valette Preceptory No. 616
Stroud Masonic Hall, The Hill, Stroud. GL5 4EP