History
The Masonic Villages Trust, a registered charity, has been providing great care and great communities to older people and others in need since 1967.
The Trust is one of the largest charitable retirement and rest home providers in the southern half of the North Island, and has stand-alone retirement villages in Eltham, Foxton, Hawera, New Plymouth and Waitara. At its villages in Levin, Lower Hutt, Masterton and Palmerston North, it also operates care facilities providing rest home and hospital level care.
All of the Trust’s villages were set up independently by Freemason lodges based in different regions of the southern North Island. Initial funding came from local lodges, charitable donations from individual Freemasons, their families and the wider community, together with government grants. Site development often involved the voluntary efforts of lodge members.
All the villages operate on the charitable and benevolent principles that lie at the core of Freemasonry. In recent years, the villages have come together under the umbrella of the Trust to share resources, spread overheads and to ensure greater resilience.
The Trust’s villages perform an important role, providing homes and care to people who prefer to retire in communities that are smaller than those offered by commercial operators. Here, residents retain their individuality and are free to follow their own interests.
Because each village was set up by Freemasons working with their local community, each village has a distinctive character and culture which reflects the interests and needs of its residents. This local flavour is maintained under the umbrella of the Trust, which allows each village a high degree of local autonomy.
Our Villages
Horowhenua
Horowhenua Masonic Village, Levin
Manawatu
Masonic Court Masonic Village, Palmerston North
Te Awahou Masonic Village, Foxton
Taranaki
Eltham Masonic Village
Hawera Masonic Village
Waitara Masonic Village
New Plymouth
Clawton Masonic Village, Westown
Manadon Masonic Village, Spotswood
Welbourn Masonic Village, near city centre
Wairarapa
Wairarapa Masonic Village, Masterton
Glenwood Masonic Hospital, Masterton
Wellington
Woburn Apartments, Lower Hutt
Woburn Masonic Care, Lower Hutt
Horowhenua
Horowhenua Masonic Village
Levin
The Horowhenua Masonic Village was opened in October 1976. Representatives from six lodges in the district oversaw the construction of first the rest home, then 28 pensioner flats. A period of expansion followed, in which the chapel, community centre, medical centre and additional villas were built.
The Horowhenua Masonic Village retirement community now has 53 independent villas and 28 rental flats. In the care facility there are 76 single rest home and hospital bedrooms and six care suites.
Manawatu
The Manawatu Masonic Association Trust set up Masonic Court in Palmerston North in 1972 and Te Awahou Masonic Village in 1990. Both became part of The Masonic Villages Trust in 2014.
Masonic Court
Palmerston North
Masonic Court retirement community has 14 villas and five rental flats, and shares its grounds with the Masonic Court care facility. The care facility provides 12 hospital-level, six dual beds and 31 rest home beds.
Its wings and other facilities are named after the lodges that made significant contributions to the establishment and early running of the care facility: Awatea, Pikama, Manchester, United Manawatu, Founders and Manawatu Kilwinning.
Te Awahou Masonic Village
Foxton
Te Awahou Masonic Village in Foxton provides 20 villas, 35 rental units, a large community centre, residents’ library and Freemason’s Lodge. The village is the largest retirement community in the Foxton district.
Taranaki
Taranaki is home to six stand-alone retirement villages set up by the Taranaki Masonic Trust to provide quality housing for older people. These villages became part of The Masonic Villages Trust in 2017, following the merger of the two Trusts.
The Hawera Masonic Village was the first to be developed in 1975, followed by the establishment of villages in New Plymouth and Eltham, and finally Waitara in 2003.
Today, Eltham Masonic Village has 10 villas; Hawera Masonic Village, six villas; and Waitara Masonic Village, seven villas.
In New Plymouth there are three villages: Clawton Masonic Village with 20 villas; Manadon Masonic Village, 22 villas and with plans for a further 15; and Welbourn Masonic Village, seven villas.
Wairarapa
Wairarapa Masonic Village
Masterton
Retirement community
The Wairarapa Masonic Village was officially opened in August 1986 with just 16 flats and two villas. The recreation hall which forms the hub of the retirement community was built during 1989 and officially opened in 1990. By then there were six complete villas in the community, two under construction and a further four planned.
Since then the retirement community has continued to expand and now has 66 independent villas, 28 flats and a recreation hall.
Glenwood Masonic Hospital
Glenwood Masonic Hospital, was established in 2010 within the village grounds as a state-of-the-art aged care facility.
The hospital was formerly located in Cole Street, Masterton and has a history dating back 100 years. In 2006 The Masonic Villages Trust purchased Glenwood and began to plan the ‘new Glenwood’ at 74 Upper Plain Road.
Today, Glenwood is one of the most up-to-date care facilities in New Zealand, with 48 beds for rest home, hospital, respite and palliative care, ACC patients and disabled youth; and six care suites.
Wellington
Woburn Apartments
Lower Hutt
Woburn Masonic Village opened in February 1967 with 28 pensioner flats. Funding was greatly assisted by a ₤50,000 donation from Mrs C E Carter trustees, a sizable sum at the time.
By 2014, the original flats no longer met the needs of retirees and were either demolished or removed from the site. Work then began on Woburn Apartments, the largest retirement development ever undertaken by the Trust.
In February 2015 residents moved into the 47 apartments in stage one of the Apartments. In spring 2017 stage two will be completed, including 39 apartments and the full range of amenities of this stylish development.
Woburn Masonic Care
Lower Hutt
Woburn Masonic Care was opened in December 1970. Mrs C E Carter, who was a foundational donor to the village, became a resident of Woburn Care until she passed away in July 1972, leaving a further generous contribution from her estate to The Masonic Villages Trust.
Woburn Masonic Care now provides 34 continuing care hospital rooms and 23 rest home rooms.
Freemasonry is an ancient organisation that has been active in New Zealand since the days of the early European settlers. Its values include integrity, charity, excellence, respect for others and community service. In keeping with these values, all people of goodwill – regardless of their race, religion, nationality or personal beliefs – are welcome in our facilities.
Origins of Freemasonry
The precise origins of Freemasonry have been lost in time, however, its traditions date back to the Middle Ages and to the stonemasons who built the cathedrals and castles of Europe.
To construct them, it was necessary for men to have considerable knowledge of geometry, arithmetic and engineering. These highly skilled masons formed themselves into lodges to protect the skills and secrets of their trade and to pass their knowledge on to worthy apprentices. Importantly, these men were not bondsmen, hence the word “free” in Freemason.
By the 17th century, when the building of castles and cathedrals diminished, Masonry began to lose its ‘operative’ aspects and worthy men who were not craftsmen were also accepted into its membership. It was from this time that Masons were known as ‘free and accepted’ Masons, as they continue to be known to this day.
The first Grand Lodge was established in England in 1717 and thereafter Freemasonry spread rapidly throughout the world. Freemasonry has been practised in Australasia since early in the 19th century.
