St Winnold Lodge is a Masonic lodge: a small group of local men who meet regularly, give to Norfolk charities, and look out for each other. Founded in 1919.
Freemasonry has some private traditions. Our meeting dates, our charity work, and our membership are all publicly known. A lodge is a group of local men who meet regularly, share a dinner, and give back to their community.
No political views
Any faith welcome
No one type of man
“The dinners are the highlight. Good food, good conversation, and a break from the usual routine. ”
“I moved to Norfolk knowing no one. By chance, the Lodge secretary lived next door. I was made welcome from my first meeting, and through Masonry I have made many friends all over East Anglia.”
“I joined to grow my social circle and give something back to the local community, it delivered both. The meetings are a bit like amateur theatre: each one a different ceremony, with members learning lines and set pieces if they want to take part.”
Community & charity
Every year the lodge votes on where its charitable donations go. Local causes, Norfolk hospices, national Masonic charities. Members decide together.
£3,100
Given this season
107
Years in Downham Market
Over80
Active members
Regular dinners with local men you can trust
8 meetings a year, each followed by a sit-down dinner. A social anchor that doesn’t depend on circumstance.
Meetings with structure and purpose
Each meeting follows a set agenda: focused, purposeful, and different from anything else in your week.
Norfolk charity work with real impact
Each year the lodge raises money for local causes. Your membership puts money into the community you live in.
A community that shows up
When a member faces illness, bereavement, or difficulty, the lodge doesn’t disappear. That kind of loyalty is hard to find.
A typical evening
A lodge meeting has two parts: formal business in the lodge room, then dinner. Here is how the evening runs.
Arrival
Members arrive at the hall. Drinks, conversation, introductions if you are a guest. Nothing formal yet.
Lodge opens
Formal business in the lodge room. A ceremony, an initiation, or routine business. Structured, serious, and much less theatrical than films suggest.
Festive Board
Dinner. Three courses, a few toasts, a speech or two and a charity raffle. Guests sit alongside members.
End of evening
Most members head home. Some stay to finish conversations.
Founded in 1919, St Winnold Lodge meets at The Masonic Hall, Lynn Road, Downham Market, Norfolk PE38 9NL and brings together men from across Norfolk. Different professions, beliefs, and backgrounds, united by shared values.
1919
Founded
8
Meetings a year
£3,100
For charity 2025/26
Norfolk
Province
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