Ruthin Open Doors Weekend

SATURDAY

I skipped the Parkrun this morning, as we were expecting the bathroom fitter, who was supposed to complete some prep work for the flooring contractor coming early next week. Unfortunately, he didn’t show up as planned and only texted later, promising to get it done first thing Monday morning. Frustrating, to say the least.

In the meantime, I kept busy by replacing the silicone weatherstrip on the external utility room door. It was a job that needed doing whilst the ambient temperatures are still relatively high as the material needs to be quite flexible to fit in the grooves. Removing the old strip was however more hassle than I anticipated but the job's now done.

This weekend, the nearby market town of Ruthin is hosting an “Open Doors” event, where historic buildings that are usually closed to the public open their doors. Alongside the typical churches, chapels, and public spaces, several historic private homes are also welcoming visitors. 

Naturally, we headed over for lunch and a nosy around.

The highlight for me was visiting the Masonic Temple, located in The Old Cloisters. Stepping into the Lodge Room felt surreal. We learned that entry into the room is always from the west, facing east. The layout apparently followed the traditional design: the Worshipful Master’s throne-like chair was positioned in the east, with the Senior Warden’s seat in the west and the Junior Warden’s in the south. The secretary and treasurer’s desk was situated along the north wall. 

The Lodge room also featured an organ, which we were told plays a key role in ceremonies, and there were chairs arranged around the room, some draped with Masonic aprons. The space was filled with fascinating Masonic paraphernalia, including central chequered floor area, a stone suspended within a triangle, various wooden objects, Egyptian themed paintings and artefacts,  a massive Bible, globes, compasses and a bag of white and black balls.

Out of respect, I refrained from taking photos inside the private homes and within the Masonic Lodge as I don't want to be "black-balled".. Instead, today’s Blip is a photo of part of the Market Square, featuring the Old Courthouse, Yr Hen Lys – a stunning 15th-century medieval structure.