THE CATHEDRAL BUILDERS

In 1899 Leader Scott (a pen name) published her book, The Cathedral builders, the story of a Great masonic Guild.

This was followed in 1910 by W. Ravenscroft's The Comacines, their Predecessors and their Successors. The theory advanced is that when the Roman Collegia of Artificers were abolished, a group of workmen retired to an island in Lake Como where they preserved their technical skills and later built the cathedrals of Europe.

this theory was followed by Joseph Fort Newton in The Builder and was widely accepted by readers of his popular book.