No, not those of Lodge Mother Kilwinning, No.0, nor those of The Lodge of Edinburgh (Mary’s Chapel), No.1.
What about The Lodge of Melrose St. John, No.1(2), nope, or The Lodge of Aberdeen, No.1(3). No not that one either!
The oldest Lodge Minutes in existence are in fact those of Lodge Aitcheson’s Haven. We do have to explain however that these are the Minutes of a now dormant Lodge. The Minutes begin on 9 January 1599.
The Lodge was a Founder Member of the Grand Lodge of Scotland and attended the inaugural meeting on 30 November 1736. It withdrew from Grand Lodge in May 1737 because Grand Lodge did not recognise its claim to be the oldest Lodge in Scotland. Given that this Lodge had the oldest Minutes of any Scottish Lodge the reason for this is inexplicable and remaining records offer no insights.
Aitcheson’s Haven remained independent until 1814 when it rejoined Grand Lodge. By that time however the Roll of Lodges had become firmly established and consequently the Lodge was numbered 32 on the 1816 roll and 33 in 1826.
The Lodge ceased to function in 1853 and was removed from the Roll of Lodges in 1868.
Aitcheson’s Haven [harbour] was always a relatively small and obscure place. Why would a Lodge have existed there from such an early period? Unfortunately, that question is extremely difficult to answer but the best guess is that the Lodge members where there to build the harbour and once completed simply remained in that place.
‘The history of Morrison’s Haven may be given in a few words. In April, 1526, James V (1512–1542) empowered the monks of Newbotle [Newbattle], the discoverers of coal in the same vicinity to construct a port within their own lands of Prestongrange. Near the westend of the town of Prestonpans, the monks erected a harbour which was called New Haven, and this name was changed to Acheson’s Haven, and afterward obtained the name of Morrison’s Haven, from the proprietor, at the commencement of the 17th century. It is reckoned one of the safest harbours on this shore of the Forth, having ten feet of water at stream tides.’ [George Chalmers, 1888]
Morison’s Haven fell into disuse after the first World War, land reclamation has largely swallowed it up, and what remains of its pier is being battered to pieces by the sea.
[Note: Aitcheson’s Haven has been variously spelt Acheson’s, Aetcheson’s and Aitchison’s in addition to the different names mentioned above – Ed.]