01/11/2026
There was also time for a bit of exploring at Sussex Masonic Centre! A wonderfully grand building with so much history!
The Sussex Masonic Centre, situated at 25 Queen’s Road, Brighton, is one of the most historically significant Masonic buildings in the Province of Sussex. Its origins pre-date its Masonic occupation, the principal building having been constructed around 1830, probably to the designs of the distinguished Brighton architects Amon Wilds and Charles Augustine Busby.
The property was subsequently donated to Freemasonry by the Kidd family, prominent local brewers, in the late nineteenth century, and adapted for Masonic purposes.
A particularly important chapter in its development began in December 1918, when William Porter, a Sussex Freemason, offered to finance the construction of a new Masonic temple in memory of his son, Sydney, who had died in 1917. Porter proposed that, if the Province raised £5,000 towards acquiring the existing premises and six adjoining cottages, he would personally meet the cost of erecting a purpose-built temple, including two lodge rooms and accommodation for the Provincial Grand Secretary.
The foundation stone was laid on 26 June 1919 by Charles Gordon-Lennox, the Duke of Richmond and Gordon, Provincial Grand Master. Unfortunately, Porter did not live to see the completion of his generous undertaking.
The resulting temple, incorporating a striking Art Deco interior designed by architect John Leopold Denman, was eventually opened in July 1928. The Centre has since served as the administrative and ceremonial headquarters of Sussex Freemasonry, providing a permanent home for numerous Craft Lodges and other Masonic Orders.
Today, the Grade II listed building remains an enduring testament to the generosity, ambition and continuity of Freemasonry in Sussex.
