Talk:Lodge of Edinburgh (Mary's Chapel) No. 1

Oldest Lodge?
"...and is reputed to be the oldest Lodge not only in Scotland, but the world."

This assertion also appears in the article Lodge Mother Kilwinning: they can't both be the oldest Lodge not only in Scotland, but the world -- so which is it?

Mary's Chapel Lodge is designated Number 1 on the roll of the Grand Lodge of Scotland; but Lodge Mother Kilwinning is acknowledged to be older still, hence its placing as "Number Nothing" (i.e., zero) and its affectionate title as the Mother Lodge of Scotland (pre-dating the formation of the first Grand Lodge by some 200 years).

The initial paragraph really ought to make mention of this anomalous numerical ranking. Nuttyskin (talk) 22:19, 4 January 2017 (UTC) Nuttyskin (talk) 22:19, 4 January 2017 (UTC)
 * The Lodge of Edinburgh can prove it's old because it has the oldest minutes. Kilwinning claims to be older, and is widely believed, but can't prove it. There are other candidates, but none have minute books going back to 1598. Granting Kilwinning Number 0 was a concession to finally get their whiny lodge, an important regional centre and motherlodge, finally enrolled in the Grand Lodge of Scotland. Does that help? Fiddlersmouth (talk) 01:10, 5 January 2017 (UTC)