Edinburgh Cryptic Council Number 1
Royal, Select and Super Excellent Masters, meeting at the Masonic Hall, 63 Blackfriars Street, Edinburgh.
About us
Edinburgh Cryptic Council No. 1 confers the Cryptic degrees, sometimes called the Royal and Select degrees. These are the Royal Master, Select Master and Super Excellent Master degrees.
Membership is open to Royal Arch Masons in good standing. Our meetings include the Degree of Royal Master for companions who have passed the ballot, the presentation of diplomas, and the Installation of the Thrice Illustrious Master and office bearers.
Where the Cryptic degrees fit
To become a Royal Arch Mason you must first have completed the Blue Lodge (Craft) degrees of Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft and Master Mason, and remain a member in good standing.
The Royal Arch Chapter is the foundation of Royal Arch Freemasonry, and you must have this degree before anything else.
The Cryptic Council and Royal Ark Mariner degrees are optional, but you must be a Royal Arch Mason in good standing to join either. You can do one, two or neither, unless you want to progress to a commissioned office in a Provincial or District Chapter, for which you need the set.
These Daughter Orders are subject to a Provincial or District Grand Chapter, which in turn is subject to the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland.
Meetings 2026 to 2027
Installing Officers on 30 September 2026 are MEC Derek Reekie PTIM and MEC John Donaldson TIM, both of Levenmouth Cryptic Council No. 261. ME John Dadds is to be installed as Thrice Illustrious Master for 2026 to 2027.
All meetings are held at the Masonic Hall, Journeyman Masons' Halls, 63 Blackfriars Street, Edinburgh EH1 1NB.
Visitors
Cryptic Masons from the English Constitution and other recognised Constitutions are fully qualified to attend our meetings.
If you are visiting other Cryptic Councils, contact their Recorder first. Meetings in these degrees can change or be cancelled, and in Scotland the September and October meetings are often given over to business and Installations only.
News & photos
Contact the Recorder
- William J Deeley PhD FSAScot
- Recorder, PTIM
- recorder.one.councils@gmail.com
- Edinburgh Cryptic Council No. 1 on Facebook
- Meeting place
- Edinburgh Cryptic Council No. 1, Journeyman Masons Halls, 63 Blackfriars Street, Edinburgh EH1 1NB