Peeking out from Islington’s hill, Canonbury Tower holds secrets of the Francis Bacon Lodge. Today, we explore its history. The Francis Bacon Lodge is linked to a building of immense historical importance. This is Canonbury Tower. It stands in Islington North London. It is a little known building. The Tower has connections to Rosicrucianism and Freemasonry. Some believe it was used as an early Lodge.
In 1616, Francis Bacon himself leased Canonbury Tower for several years. This oldest building in Islington still survives intact. The mysterious building has a long secret history. It stretches back before the Norman Conquest.
Henry VIII granted it to Thomas Cromwell before his execution. Later, it belonged to John Dudley, Earl of Warwick. Queen Elizabeth granted it to Lord Wentworth. He sold it to Sir John ‘Rich’ Spencer. Spencer amassed a large fortune. In 1610, Canonbury passed to Elizabeth and William, Lord Compton. The Comptons leased it to Bacon from 1616. He used it for secretive purposes.
The Compton Room and Spencer Room are Rosicrucian Temples. They are replete with symbols. Canonbury Tower is the oldest surviving Rosicrucian-Freemasonic Lodge in the world. The Tower features emblems of a Rosicrucian nature. These include a Jester linked to Pan. You can also find tailpieces in the Shakespeare First Folio. Look for roses, crosses, acorns and oak leaves too. The sunburst face appears here. Freemasons know it as the sun in splendour. It appeared on Shakespeare’s poems and Sonnets. It’s also on memorial verses to Francis Bacon. His fellow Rosicrucian Brother Dr Rawley published those verses. They contain 32 Latin poems. Many allude to Bacon’s authorship of Shakespeare’s works.
In the twentieth century, Canonbury Tower became the headquarters of the Francis Bacon Society. For over four hundred years, the same family has owned it. Today, the Marquess Spencer Compton of Northampton owns it.
Notice the huge mulberry tree in the courtyard. Could Francis Bacon have planted it? Shakspere had one. Surely Bacon would have one too. Peter Coles discusses the Canonbury Tower mulberry tree. He considers the possibility Bacon planted it.
Francis Bacon was the President of the Fraternity of the Rose Cross. He was the founder and first Grand Master of modern English Freemasonry. Peter Dawkins spoke about evidence for this in June 2001. He discussed reasons for Bacon’s association with Rosicrucians and Freemasonry. The talk took place in Canonbury Tower. It was in one of the rooms Bacon used. The Invisible College once had its headquarters here.
Sir John Spenser was a good friend of Sir Francis Bacon. So was his son-in-law, Lord Compton. Sir John embellished the rooms. He added carved oak panelling and fireplaces. These feature Freemasonic and Rosicrucian symbols. This indicates a connection with secret Rosicrucian societies. Sir Francis Bacon, Imperator of the Rosicrucian Order, leased the mansion. This happened during the reign of King James I.
There is strong evidence the rooms were used for Rosicrucian Fraternity meetings. That’s according to Peter Dawkins. Canonbury Tower holds a special place in history. It connects to secret societies and literary giants. The Francis Bacon Lodge within Canonbury Tower reminds us of the hidden depths of knowledge and the enduring power of symbols.