Freemasonry is part of a long tradition of Western mysticism, steeped in an enduring and eclectic mixture of historical fact and legend. Much of the ritual and symbolism prevalent in Freemasonry has developed over many centuries and relies heavily on notions inherited from the customs and practices of medieval stonemasons. In this absorbing book, the history and legends of the Freemasons – from links with the Knights Templar, their explorations into alchemy and the hermetic tradition, through the age of Enlightenment and the founding fathers of the USA, to the Victorians and up to the present day – are discussed alongside the mystical symbolism of the Square and the Compass, the Five-pointed Star, the All-seeing Eye, and the Sun and the Moon. Illustrated throughout, this intriguing account will appeal to anyone interested in this ‘secret’ Brotherhood.

Freemasonry is part of a long tradition of Western mysticism, steeped in an enduring and eclectic mixture of historical fact and legend. Much of the ritual and symbolism prevalent in Freemasonry has developed over many centuries and relies heavily on notions inherited from the customs and practices of medieval stonemasons. In this absorbing book, the history and legends of the Freemasons – from links with the Knights Templar, their explorations into alchemy and the hermetic tradition, through the age of Enlightenment and the founding fathers of the USA, to the Victorians and up to the present day – are discussed alongside the mystical symbolism of the Square and the Compass, the Five-pointed Star, the All-seeing Eye, and the Sun and the Moon. Illustrated throughout, this intriguing account will appeal to anyone interested in this ‘secret’ Brotherhood.

Freemasonry is part of a long tradition of Western mysticism, steeped in an enduring and eclectic mixture of historical fact and legend. Much of the ritual and symbolism prevalent in Freemasonry has developed over many centuries and relies heavily on notions inherited from the customs and practices of medieval stonemasons. In this absorbing book, the history and legends of the Freemasons – from links with the Knights Templar, their explorations into alchemy and the hermetic tradition, through the age of Enlightenment and the founding fathers of the USA, to the Victorians and up to the present day – are discussed alongside the mystical symbolism of the Square and the Compass, the Five-pointed Star, the All-seeing Eye, and the Sun and the Moon. Illustrated throughout, this intriguing account will appeal to anyone interested in this ‘secret’ Brotherhood.