Ridgmont Lodge of Mark Master Masons. No.1539
 
Horwich Masonic Hall, Ridgmont House, Horwich
 
The Central Lancashire Association Festival. Weds 1st November 2017
 
Another special night to look forward to at the wonderful Ridgmont House, set off early as usual no need to get the old Opel out as my wife was at home so I naturally said “would you be going anywhere this evening or should I use your car dear as its blocking the garage” you see I have a lot of tact, yes go in mine the keys are in my bag.!! Fed the location into the on board sat nav got to the famous on ramp for the M60 and that was it, eighteen minutes before I actually made lane one, think that could have been a record. They have started taking out the concrete blocks from the closed off central lane and the master plan is to make the three lanes into four lanes, the one down side is, the fourth lane is the hard shoulder which will not exist so whatever you do don’t break down. All was going well on to the M61, off at junction six, past Bolton’s ground, a couple more turnings then a right which took me up this ever dwindling road full of humps, eventually got to a T junction alongside a big pub and thought to myself  Der I’ve been here before but where’s the Hall.
Sun through the trees
Ridgmont House
The Bar
The Freeze with its Owls
Piano
Had to get Google up on my phone and immediately could see that as on my previous visit I had driven straight past it, turned round found the entrance into the grounds and it’s at that point when you realise it was well worth every minute of the trip, the hall and grounds are a jewel hidden away from public gaze, a real delight. Lots of parking space round the back of the hall, take a few steps down from there and you’re at the Halls main entrance, go in through two sets of doors to find your in the very impressive reception room complete with its highly polished Grand Piano and full length case clock, above this is a very delicate freeze complete with its three Owls overlooking proceedings below, at the opposite end of the room is a cosy lounge area with a very modern well stocked bar. What is really nice is the fact that there are Georgian style windows on every wall giving all areas some really pleasing natural light, until its dark of course!
WM’s Chair
This photo says it all, “The Happy Degree” 
Joseph Ridgways Topper
JW’s Axe presented to Lodge by Westhoughton Markl
Up a Hollywood style sweeping red carpeted staircase go straight ahead into a small passageway and on your right is the Lodge room, light blue carpet, deep blue seats , eggshell blue walls with red inset panels, several lodge banners and three carved principal officers chairs complete what is a really nice pleasant Temple.
Cheese Board Tables
Table Mats
Passage from Dining Room to Lodge
Always ready to chat
Now as to the evenings business, the Lodge was opened on time at 6pm and as this was an Emergency Meeting there was none of the usual housekeeping to be done, the knock was sounded and the Provincial DC W.Bro.Dave Emmerson announced that the Prov Grand Master R.W. Bro. Keith Alan Beardmore was without and demanded to be admitted which of course the WM and all present were delighted to comply with.
I see it this way Arthur
Clock face downstairs
Clock face upstairs
To here please
Tommy Cooper “Not like this like that”
The PGM entered accompanied by his Deputy PGM W.Bro. Geoffrey Lee PGJD, Acting Prov Grand Officers and distinguished Grand officers, the WM Bro.Peter Beamish offered the Gavel which on this occasion was quickly returned as Keith said he was happy to leave it in the hands of the WM so that he could sit back for once and looked forward to enjoying “The Hill of Spite” the Central Lancashire Associations Festival production by the Mark Players Theatre Company. (now taking bookings for Christmas).  The Lodge was duly called off and the story began, well what can I say you had to be there to believe it, what great fun it was, several stars were born this night, Peter Schofield as Joseph Ridgeway, Clive Butterworth as the Butler and Ivan Millington as the local constable PC Guyler. I believe both The Palace in Manchester and The Plaza in Stockport are trying to head hunt them for this year’s Panto’s. 
Practise, Practise Practise
Not the Coat of Many Colours but The Sheets of Many Colours
And I thought Practise was over!
The Bronze Cat
The Narrator. John Dawber
Joseph
Other members who took part Peter Idle as Rev David Hewitt, Jack Ball as Bert the Head Groundman, the working party, Bill Wilding, Geoff Moore, D. Wilson and D. Winten, Dave Boylin played Thomas the Keeper of the Stables, the Sculpture and Artist named Rodin Beardmore was Derek English. The whole play was held together by the narrator John Dawber. A short resume of the story revolved around Joseph Ridgway son of Thomas who built the house in 1802, he was a prominent figure in the village and Ridgway House became the centre for entertaining guests, Joseph was also a local Magistrate and was later honoured by being appointed Deputy Lieutenant of Lancashire, he was a great huntsman and it was said that he possessed up to thirty of the finest horses ever seen, his favourite being “The General Jeffery” The Ridgway’s were big church goers and gave generous amounts of money to the Church and school for various projects. The other main party in this story was the Reverend David Hewitt who moved into his house at the top of Fleet Street in 1826. At some point he visited Joseph and stated that he was not happy with the goings on at the House which he could see from his dwelling !! Joseph stated there are no goings on, just entertaining friends and if you don’t like it he suggested that he should close his curtains !! They parted with ill feelings. Now to cut a long story short some time later Josephs favourite horse died and it was decided that the horse should be buried in the grounds, now the plot thickens, Joseph told his workers to take the horse to the top of Fleet St and bury it on his grounds, not only that but to build a huge mound on top of the grave and place a life sized statue of the horse which he had commissioned on top of that to completely obscure the Reverends view across the land to Ridgway House and vice versa Josephs view of the Reverends house. The mound became known as “The Hill of Spite”, the statue was eventually smashed beyond repair by what was said to be an “unruly mob” years later but you may wonder what has happened to the mound well it’s still there and on cold moonlight nights some of the locals say that sometimes if there is a gentle wind blowing you can hear a horse naying on the wind, I wonder could it be The General Jeffrey.
Joseph and the Butler
Chief Groundsman
PC Guyler, The Rev Hewitt and Joseph
The Cast
Many Thanks from the PGM
Following long acclaim the players retired, the props were removed and the Lodge was restored to good order, it was then called back on, the PGM gave sincere thanks to all who had taken part for the many hours of practise it must have taken to create the play for us all to enjoy, a collection was then taken for the Charities and it was time for the PGM to retire from the Lodge accompanied by distinguished Grand officers and Acting Prov officers. The Lodge was then closed in due form and everyone made their way to the bar for some liquid refreshments before taking their allotted places at the Festive Board. An excellent meal was served up ending with a delicious trifle which I just couldn’t resist, tables were laid out around the room with cheese and biscuits on a help yourself basis, now that’s a first, really it was superb and the staff were all first class.  
PGM & WM
WM & IPM
PGM & Dep PGM
Lots of happy chat during the meal, as to the Mark Masons around me, I had never met before but we chatted just like we were lifelong friends, following on from the meal there were the usual Toasts and interesting Responses, it was especially nice to see several stand on the Toast to visiting WM’s, the only thing missing was what has become usual at these Festive Boards a Mason who as yet hasn’t seen the light and joined us in this the Happy and Friendly Degree,  the final Toast as always was delivered by the very hard working Prov Tyler W.Bro.Ernie Gavan and yes just in case you were wondering we did get treated to our usual joke from our PGM during his response, if only somebody had recorded them all we could have put them out in a collection. (or maybe not) only kidding.
Festive Board

Now it was time to depart, a lovely clear jet black night the air smelled sweet as I made my way back to the car, put the case in, put the camera in went to blue tooth the phone, no phone !! Went back and it was in the safe custody of Peter Schofield who said “ I was going to ring you and tell you I had it “ !! Set off down the one track road with the humps, not too long and I was passing Bolton FC, then it was the bus stop on the bridge, the domes at the Trafford Centre and that was it home sweet home, here’s to our next meeting and as I always say “looking forward to seeing the friends I know and those I have yet to meet”

The Hard Working Web Master Mike Beesley
WM presents PGM with a plant for June
Tylers Toast
Mark Well
Words and pictures by Austin N Fletcher.
Flixton Shepherd Eastwood. No.1173