What is Freemasonry?

Introduction

This article is intended to give an initial answer to the questions: who are the Freemasons, and what is Freemasonry?

First, it's important to qualify these answers with the proviso that they apply to English Freemasonry, under the jurisdiction of the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE). Where appropriate comparisons are made with practices common in Freemasonry outside UGLE.