A Description of the Freemason’s Lodge © H. Walton 1952.

 “Ideally the Lodge room should be in the form of a double cube, though this of course is not essential; any room, oblong for preference can be used. Lodges, like Churches, are supposed to face East and West; where they do not do so geographically the dais end is referred to as the East, and the other sides to their relative compass points. The door, leading from an anteroom, is in the Northwest corner. The Brethren are seated in rows along the North, South, and West. The Past Masters sit in the East. The floor should be of a black and white checkerboard pattern with an indented border; a carpet usually represents this. An emblem with the letter G is suspended from or depicted on the ceiling in the centre.

The Worshipful Master has his chair and pedestal in the East. These should be of the Ionic order, and his emblem, the Square, may be carved or painted on the front of the pedestal. On the pedestal are the Volume of the Sacred Law, resting on a cushion, (opened at 2 Chronicles vi), with the square and compasses in silver or gilt resting on them when the Lodge is open, a gavel and sounding-board, sometimes the box of working-tools, and an Ionic column which is always upright.

The Senior Warden faces him in the West. His chair and pedestal are Doric. His emblem is the Level. By his pedestal is the perfect ashlar, a cubic block suspended from a triangular tripod. The Junior Warden, who has the Plumb Rule for his emblem, has his chair and pedestal (Corinthian) in the middle of the South. By it is the rough ashlar, an unsmoothed block resting on a column. Both Wardens have gavels, sounding boards, and columns; the Senior Warden's column is erect when the Lodge is open and horizontal when it is closed, and the Junior Warden's vice versa. By each of the three pedestals is a candlestick. The Master's must always be lighted when the Lodge is open. The Wardens' are normally lighted also, but are extinguished for one of the ceremonies. The Immediate Past Master sits on the dais to the left of the Worshipful Master. The Senior Deacon is at or near the right of the Worshipful Master; the Junior Deacon is on the right of the Senior Warden. The Inner Guard's position is by the door, and the Tyr’s is outside it in the anteroom.

There are three tracing boards, one for each Degree, which may be displayed in various ways. Only one is exposed at a time, according to the degree in which the Lodge is open.”