Scientific Lodge was consecrated on 15th December 1860 at the National School Room, High Street, Stony Stratford. The founders were all involved in railway management and manufacturing, highlighting the lodge's deep-rooted connection to the industrial revolution. Wolverton, established 21 years prior as the world’s first railway town, is significant in this context. The name "Wolverton" is derived from Old English, meaning ‘Wulfhere’s estate’ and was documented in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Wluerintone. The original mediaeval settlement of Wolverton, now referred to as Old Wolverton, has nearly vanished from the modern landscape.

The lodge's banner features a viaduct, representing one that was north of Wolverton before its demolition in the 1890s, and a generic locomotive model of the era. The arm and hammer depicted symbolise the foundries and carriage works in Wolverton, where the founding Master, James McConnell, served as Superintendent of Works. Their motto, 'Mind moves the mass’ reflects Victorian engineering principles, emphasising the power of scientific knowledge to overcome challenges. The creation of the lodge's furniture, attributed to craftsmen from the Wolverton railway works, and the purchase of a banner in 1861 for 10 guineas (equivalent to approximately £5000 in 2017 terms) underscore the lodge's commitment to craftsmanship and quality.

The banner, primarily made of painted cloth and commissioned between the lodge's first meeting in 1860 and May 1863, has undergone changes and repairs over the years. Notably, the scrollwork was overpainted to update the lodge number from 1142 to 840. By the 1960s, the banner had become so fragile that it required remounting and is now preserved under glass due to its delicate condition. During the 150th anniversary in 2010, considerations for a new banner were explored but ultimately rejected in favour of retaining the original, despite its inability to meet modern standards, reflecting a deep appreciation for the lodge's heritage and traditions.

If you would like to be part of a Freemasons' lodge like this and a global community that has its roots firmly in the ground in Buckinghamshire, please join us by following this link: https://buckspgl.org/join