rent is about to rise, sharply.

Next month the Lodge St. George number 200 celebrates its 200th anniversary and the usual peppercorn payment will be supplemented by an 18-carat gold peppercorn.

"The usual peppercorn will be paid, but it's a special year so we decided to pay with a gold peppercorn as well,'' said the Lodge's Right Worshipful Master Colin Curtis.

The Lodge was established on August 7, 1797, in the old Parliament building in St. George.

It is one of Bermuda's oldest surviving stone buildings and the Lodge itself is the oldest Scottish Lodge outside Scotland.

In 1815 Bermuda's capital moved from St. George's to Hamilton and the Lodge has since been handing over the peppercorn every year for rent.

On April 23 the annual ceremony of handing over the peppercorn will take place with the Governor Lord Waddington, politicians and the Bermuda Regiment Band in attendance.

The gold peppercorn will be handed along with the normal peppercorn -- but it is thought the valuable one will end up in a museum.

"It's going to be very interesting,'' added Mr. Curtis, the owner of the Bermuda Perfumery. "It's a very special day.'' The Lodge's celebrations have also featured in the latest issue of Islands magazine, which has an article about the forthcoming ceremony alongside a picture of Mr. Curtis in full Lodge regalia.

The article says: "Over the past two centuries, Masonry has become an essential part of Bermuda's history and culture.

"With a total population of about 61,000, the Island supports 11 lodges with perhaps 2,500 members.''