A new film which, for the first time, offers a glimpse of what happens in the county’s Lodge rooms, has been welcomed by West Lancashire Freemasons.

'Discover Freemasonry' shows interviews with leading Freemasons, as well as delving into Freemasonry’s unique history and symbolism, including the famous handshake.

Freemasonry is centuries old and is recorded as arriving in West Lancashire as early as 1646, but, as the film shows, modern Freemasonry fully reflects the face of 21st century Britain.

The roots of modern Freemasonry lie with the medieval stonemasons who built our castles and cathedrals, yet it is as relevant today as it was hundreds of years ago; in 2017, the United Grand Lodge of England, the oldest Freemasons’ body in the world, celebrated its 300th anniversary.

Tony Harrison, leader of West Lancashire Freemasons, told QLocal this evening: “Freemasons have been at the heart of West Lancashire for over 370 years, but many people have little or no idea what Freemasonry is.

"I hope this video will go some way to answering that question and provide insight into who we are and what we do. We have thousands of members across West Lancashire and this is a great opportunity for people who may be interested in joining us to find out more.”

The full film can be seen here alongside a series of short videos: www.ugle.org.uk/aboutfreemasonry/video-library