Provincial Grand Lodge of
Royal Ark Mariner of Warwickshire

As you might know, the Ancient and Honourable Fraternity of Royal Ark Mariner, known commonly as RAM, holds a significant amount of history that is both rich and ancient in nature. 

Interestingly, RAM has been under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons for almost one and a half centuries, with the governance attributed to the Grand Master’s Royal Ark Council. However, little is known about its early history due to the obscurity that shrouds this topic. 

Though the statutes seem to suggest the Grand Lodge was reconstituted in 1772, no records remain of the original gathering. On the 10th of June 1884, the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons took ownership of the rights to the Grand Lodge of Royal Ark Mariner for a mere £25.

RAM Lodges are secured, or moored, to Mark Lodges, and their numbers are included in the Roll of the fraternity, which is a prerequisite for membership. The RAM Degree has a historical background that predates the Mark Degree by a few centuries, as it relates to the journey of Noah’s Ark and the Great Flood. One interesting aspect of RAM’s structure is that the fraternity does not feature unique ranks, unlike the Mark Degree. 

Members carrying ranks will refer to themselves as holding “Royal Ark Mariner Provincial Grand Rank” or “Royal Ark Mariner Grand Rank.” Finally, the Grand Master of the Mark, by virtue of the position itself, is also the Grand Master of the Degree of the Royal Ark Mariner.