Mary's Chapel

Up and out early for a run this morning before it got too hot!  I decided to head along Young Street for a change.  Young Street becomes Hill Street and then Thistle Street before you hit St Andrew Square.  On Hill Street is the Lodge of Edinburgh (Mary's Chapel), No.1, which is the oldest Masonic Lodge in the world.  It's listed as number one on the roll of lodges operated by the Grand Lodge of Scotland because it possesses the oldest existing minute of any Lodge dating back to 31 July 1599.  It's called Mary's Chapel because the Lodge used to meet in the old chapel of St Mary's on Niddry Wynd which was demolished to make way for South Bridge.  The building was designed by George Angus in 1825 and the Lodge acquired it in 1893.  Above the window is an interesting six pointed star within a circle with mason's marks, letters and symbols.