Credit: http://www.athelstansussex.org.uk/history-of-the-order.html

The Masonic Order of Athelstan portrays the story of a Master Mason called to York in 926 to receive the Ancient Charges. It goes on through a series of delightful rituals to explain a lot of the Symbolism we still see in some Lodges today and culminates with a Historical oration taking us through the development of the various Grand Lodges, the appointment of Sir Thomas Gresham in 1567 as the first Speculative Grand Master and ends at 1813 with the formation of the United Grand Lodge of England.

‘The Inner Workings of an Eminent Prior’, deals with the earliest passing of the veils ceremony and the Kabbalistic explanation of the four banners of the Royal Arch, ‘The Inner Workings of a Worshipful Master or Grand Master of Speculative Masons’ based on the betrayal of Athelstan by Edwin and the 20° A&AR and finally ‘The Knights Paladin of the Scarlet Mantle’.

This last Order bears some further explanation, it is made up of 9, 10 and 12 Knights added to which are the Deputy Grand Master and Grand Master making a total of 33. This is further explained as the 9 being representative of the 9 Knights Templar who first went to the Holy Lands, the 10 being that of the 10 mystic Knights who Guarded Charlemagne and the 12 are the 12 disciples of Christ, and the 12 Knights of the Round Table of whom Athelstan was thought to have been a model for the mythical King Arthur. This then added up and included the Deputy and Grand Master making the Mystical number 33 or the years that Christ lived on Earth.

The appendant Order of the Scarlet Mantle is strictly a reward-based degree. It is a Knighting ceremony and is commemorative of the Knighting of Athelstan by Alfred the Great in and around the year 898 (the first recorded making of a Knight in England). It is stated that Athelstan, upon being knighted was given a ‘Sword with a golden hilt and a scarlet mantle bedecked with jewels’. Members bear the initials of Knight of the Scarlet Mantle (KSM), Knight Commander of the Scarlet Mantle (KCSM) or Grand Cross of the Scarlet Mantle (GCSM) after their name and naturally can only use this in the context of the Masonic Order of Athelstan.