Our History

Evidence of Masonic activity in the Bangor area dates back to 1626 and appears as symbols on the grave slab of William Stennors, stonemason, located just within the doorway of Bangor Abbey. It is engraved on it's edge “Heir lyeth William Stennors Stonemason deceased 27 March 1626 and his wife Efon Watson” and with the Maul, Square and Compasses in it's centre. Stennors worked on the church building and is also credited with building the Watch Tower on Quay Street which became the first meeting place of the Lodge. The old Watch Tower is now the Visitor Information Centre and it appears on our Past Master Jewel.

A formal Lodge in Bangor dates back to 1806. Initially constituted by Lodge 447 Newtownards & Lodge 675 Donaghadee it operated irregularly at first. The front page of the first Account Book states “Warrant 746 was issued to Moses Jameson, John Whitty and George Lunn to hold a Lodge in Bangor, County Down on 9th November 1811, in lieu of Seton warrant”.

In 1881 land to build a Masonic Hall on Hamilton Road was acquired from Mr R E Ward. After being in abeyance from 1860 the Warrant was restored in 1887 and the Lodge re-opened on 27th May in the Market House, Bangor. Lodge 746 soon became one of the largest in the north of Ireland.
The laying of the foundation stone was reported in the Belfast Newsletter on 5th August 1882 “The people of Bangor and an immense concourse of visitors witnessed today what may be described as the most imposing demonstration ever witnessed in this ancient seaside town……. about 6000 persons poured into the town.........”

The Dedication of the Hall was held on 25th August 1883. The Belfast Newsletter & the Northern Whig reported at the time: “The town was crowded at four o’clock and all wended their way towards the demesne of Mr R E Ward DL ..... " After the ceremony and a luncheon with toasts in Castle grounds, the band played ‘God Bless the Prince of Wales’. In 1894 Bangor Masonic Lodge 746 adopted the word “Union” into its title.