English 1796 blue and Gilt Lord Hills No1 Leominster Masonic Sword

English 1796 blue and Gilt Lord Hill No1 Leominster Masonic Sword. Brass hilt with leather grip secured by twisted gilt wire. Slightly curved 1796 blue and gilt cavalry blade decorated with several masonic symbols please see images, plus two banners the first detailing – Friendship Love and True, the second – Lord Hills No1 Leominster. The blue and gilt has age wear but all the detail is visible, overall length 32.75 inch the blade 28.25 inches. Notes – The name Lord Hill does have a famous connection to UK Freemasonry, but it is located a bit further north in Shropshire, not Leominster. Lieutenant-General Rowland Hill the 1st Viscount Hill was a celebrated Napoleonic War hero and a dedicated Freemason. The foundation stone of the massive Lord Hill Column in Shrewsbury was laid in full masonic order by the Salopian Lodge No. 262 in 1814 Completed in June 1816 the Column was erected in honour of the Right Honourable Rowland Lord Hill, Baron of Almarez in Spain, and of Hawkstone and Hardwick Grange, Shropshire; Commander-in-Chief of the British Army a General in the Army; Governor of Plymouth, and Colonel of the Horse Guards Blue. Born at Prees Hall, near Hawkstone in April 1772, Lord Hill fought alongside the Duke of Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo.