Antiquity Encampment No.1

The Oxford dictionary defines “Antiquity” as “Ancientness, old times, especially time before the middle ages....”, and whilst members would not claim that the Encampment has subsisted over quite such a long period, it has a proud history which can be traced back over 200 years. As mentioned elsewhere, a warrant was granted by Thomas Dunkerley in 1791 but, without doubt, Templar activity existed in Bath before that date.

It must be admitted, however, that during the early years there were occasions when the Encampment found it impossible to hold meetings on a regular basis, and it became dormant. The Statutes of 1809, for example, contains a “List of Encampments discontinued from not being able to assemble”, and the list includes “The Antiquity of Time Immemorial, Bath”. The Encampment was, in fact, revived in 1811 but lapsed again in 1814 and no further meetings were held until 1819. Meetings then continued until the 30th April 1822, when the Encampment once again became dormant and remained so for a period of 33 years. It was finally revived on the 15th June 1855, since when it has maintained an unbroken sequence of meetings.

The Encampment followed the practice common in many encampments at that time, and worked both the Templar and Rose Croix degrees. In 1866, however, the Encampment's involvement in the latter degree was brought to an end when members petitioned Supreme Grand Chapter 33º to grant warrant “to hold a Lodge of Perfection a Council of Princes of Jerusalem and a Sovereign Rose Croix...under the name of Antiquity Chapter of Rose Croix”. The petition was approved and the warrant granted. The problems which were afterwards encountered by this Chapter, are beyond the scope of this history.

The Encampment celebrated its bi-centenary in 1991 and, on 29th November, a service of re-dedication was held, followed by a meeting at which a history of the Encampment was presented. Amongst many distinguished guests present on that occasion were the Very High and Right Eminent Great Seneschal the Right Honourable Lord Swansea; the Right Eminent Provincial Prior; Provincial Priors from the City and County of Bristol, Middlesex and Oxfordshire, the Right Eminent Knight G.L.Galloway, Past Great Marshall.

In the Statutes of 1809 mentioned above, the Encampment is referred to as “The Antiquity of Time Immemorial”. In masonic terms, the distinction “Time Immemorial” shows it to have been in existence before its present sovereign authority was established, in this case in 1791, and on more than one occasion an attempt has been made to invest the Encampment with “Time Immemorial” status. All such attempts have been refused by Great Priory, however, and in support of such a decision, a former Great Vice-Chancellor made the point that in cases where Time Immemorial status was granted the Preceptory concerned either worked without a warrant or under a warrant of confirmation. He acknowledged that Antiquity Encampment may have worked previously to 1791, but suggested this was “probably under a Craft Warrant, which was the usual custom in those days” and he contended that the warrant granted in 1791 “was a new Warrant issued by Dunkerley, and not a warrant of confirmation”. With the passage of time, it is not easy to determine with certainty the true state of affairs some 200 years ago, and, in all the circumstances, therefore, it may suffice to say that the Encampment continues to flourish; that it jealously guards the unique passages still incorporated in its ritual, and that it is proud to be numbered 1 on the current Roll of Preceptories.