The Ancient Order of Druids (AOD) is a fraternal order founded in England in 1781. It remains the oldest neodruidic order in Europe in continuous existence. The tradition in the order is that it was organized by Henry Hurle- a builder and surveyor of London, at a meeting at the Kings Arms Tavern on Poland Street, in London. It was organized along the lines of the XVIIIth century fraternal orders (Free Gardeners, Free Masons...), thus setting in motion the movement of Neodruidism that continues to this day. A large part of the symbols used by the AOD is drawn from pagan and Celtic history.
The Ancient Order of Druids was the first neodruidic organization to practice rituals at Stonehenge in the historic period, and the group adopted the site for some public ceremonies like on the 25th of August, 1905, when around thousand of modern druids gathered at the monument to take oaths and welcome new initiates. Later, by imitation, other neodruidic organizations (United Ancient Order of Druids (UAOD), Order of Druids (OD), Church of the Universal Bond...) wanted to come to the site for their own ceremonies.
The Ancient Order of Druids emphasizes that it is not a religious organization, but a fraternal order dedicated "to preserve and practice the main principles attributed to the early Druids, particularly those of "Justice, Philanthropy and Brotherly Love". Ruled by the Imperial Grand Archdruid, it is active in UK and France (2023).
The "Ancient Order of Druids of America" (AODA) is an unrelated organization that was founded in 1912.