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The inception of St Marys Lodge is described in the original Minute Book as having taken place in the Bridge End Tavern Inverness which was situated, so far as can be ascertained at the Grant Street end of the Waterloo Bridge (at that date it would bave been the old wooden bridge). The meeting was convened on 13th March 1843.
The Charter was granted on 8th May the same year
The Lodge was Concecrated by the R.W.M. and Office Bearers of St John's Old Kilwinning Lodge No.6 Inverness in August 1843.
From that date the meetings of the Lodge were held in various inns in Inverness. But we find that on 25th September 1857, Lodge St Marys was installed in new premises at No. 2 Church Street where they continued to meet for a number of years.
On 15th May 1867 they moved into the Trades Hall School Lane having taken the hall as a Lodge Room on lease
The Trades Hall at the present time is the Freemasons Hall, School Lane the meeting place of St Andrew's Royal Arch Chapter No. 115.
It is on record that the Brethern of St Mary's Lodge assisted at the:
Laying of the foundation stone of the New Prison on Castle Hill 1846;
The foundation stone at the cairn at Culloden in 1849;
Turning the first sod of the Inverness and Nairn Railway 1854;
Foundation Stone of Nes Masons Hall in Edinburgh 1858;
Wallace Monument 1861;
Atholle Memorial 1865;
New High School 1878;
Improvement on St John's Old Kilwinning No. 6 1881:
Laying foundation stone of Post Office, Inverness August 1888;
The foundation stone of the Lodge Rooms in Hamilton Stree was laid on 3rd September 1908
The Hall was concecrated on 30th April 1909
Masonic Properties (Inverness) Ltd, incorporated on 25th March 1964 for the purpose of building a Masonic Temple in Inverness
Laying the foundation stone of new home at Ault Wharrie June 1967
Resulting from the redevelopment of the town centre in 1972 Lodge St Mary's moved to new premises at No.3 Gordon Terrace where they continued to meet for a number of years.
The Bretheren of St Mary's assisted in the laying of the foundation stone on the new Masonic Temple, Inverness by Bro. D Chisholm Provincial Grand Master of Inverness-shire on Saturday 2nd August 1975
The Lodge Room of Masonic Temple , Inverness was concecrated by Bro. Captain Robert Wolridge Gordon of Esslemont Most Worshipful Grand Master Mason and his office bearers 28th April 1976
The Bretheren of St Mary's attended the rededication of Grand Lodge and the 250th Anniversary celebrations in Ingleston on the 18th September 1986
To be continued