Berkhamsted Bowmen History

The present club Berkhamsted Bowmen was formed in 1950 and has shot regularly ever since. Their trophies are named for persons past and present who have contributed to the tradition of archery in Berkhamsted.

Today we are a strong family orientated club with a proud history. We have more than 50 club members and take an active role in the local community supporting many local charities. We welcome more members every year and strive to keep up the proud tradition of archery in Berkhamsted.

50th Anniversary

In the year of the Millenium Berkhamsted Bowmen celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the club with a celebratory shoot at Berkhamsted Castle (courtesy of English Heritage). 65 archers from as far afield as Cologne in Germany, Yorkshire and all over the southern counties met at Berkhamsted Castle on Sunday 9th July for a shoot to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Berkhamsted Bowmen.

Despite more than a fair share of rain, two sessions of a National round of 6 dozen arrows (4 dozen at 60 yards & 2 dozen at 50 yards - 50/40 for juniors) were shot, one in the morning and one in the afternoon with some hardy archers completing a Double National round by shooting in both sessions.

38 specially minted and mounted anniversary medals were awarded in various categories (full list attached) by Councillor Lindy Foster, Madam Mayor of Berkhamsted. Berkhamsted Bowmen members to collect were Alan Poole - 1st Gent Longbow, Andrew Lee - 1st Junior under 14, Barry Anscombe - 2nd Gent Compound and Barbara Anscombe - 3rd Lady Recurve. Berkhamsted Bowmen also collected the medals in the Compound and Lonbow team sections. Jean Collins of Buckinghamshire´s Buckland Archery Club took the medal for 1st Lady in the Compound section setting a new UK record score for the National round of 634, beating the previous record by 14 points. For the full results click here

Club Chairman Clive Haywood presented Councillor Foster with a bouquet of flowers to thank her for attending. Clive made a further presentation of a bottle of port to club secretary Barbara Anscombe for her hard work in planning and organising the event over the past year.

The early days of the club...

During the spring of 1950, the Berkhamsted Centre for Further Education ran an Archery class on Wednesday evenings in Rectory Meadow. The equipment was supplied by Herts County Council and the first instructor was Mr C. P Jay.

The revival of this ancient sport in Berkhamsted brought so many members that it was suggested that a club be formed which took place on 24th May 1950. At the first meeting of the Club a demonstration was given by Miss Emson, one time Southern Counties Champion, and for those interested there was second hand equipment for purchase.

Carol Dixon along with her husband Bill were instrumental in starting the Berkhamsted Bowmen Archery Club. Carol was very artistic. The club badge was designed by and originally hand sewn by her. She also hand sewed the club trophy cloth, still used at every annual trophy evening. In fact she was so good she was asked to prepare an emblazoned cloth for use on the prize table at a GNAS International Tournament.

The Club Trophy Record Book was created by her, where each trophy has its own hand drawn page. In fact during the 1950´s Carol and Bill designed and drew Christmas cards, depicting the Berkhamsted Bowmen figures in various winter pursuits.

Bringing Home the Boar	Bringing Home the Poultry	Carrying in the Feast
Carol Singers		Shooting at the Mark
	These Christmas Cards were hand-painted by Bill and Carol Dixon
Dressing the Christmas Tree	Star in the Sky	Tobogganing

 

From the Middle Ages to the 1950s...

Berkhamsted was the favourite home of the Black Prince and the fact that his residence coincided with the peak of the development of the Longbow as a weapon of war, gives Berkhamsted a special association with Archery. Berkhamsted archers were among the victors at the Battles of Poitiers, Crecy and Agincourt and it is reasonable to suppose that many local men were engaged in the making and repairing of bows and arrows as well as associated equipment.

"Jones' History" on the Black Prince states that in 1348 Robert le Parker keeper of the Prince's Deer Park in Berkhamsted was ordered "to choose in those parts twenty four companion archers, the best he could find, and come with them all speed to Dover". This order was given when the King and the Black Prince were keeping Christmas at Havering in Essex and had received news of treachery at Calais.

Berkhamsted had an archer called Little John. He was sent by the Black Prince to Chester to collect 1000 bows, 2000 sheaves of arrows and 400 gross bow strings ordered from the bowyers and fletchers of Cheshire and to take them to Plymouth. Little John was paid sixpence a day for his wages and a reasonable sum for carriage and he left Plymouth for Bordeaux on 19th September 1355 and eventually to the battle of Poitiers. There is a story that Little John and his companions wore uniforms of green and white. The story is unconfirmed but seems reasonable as the Guard of Honour at Hertford Castle for the reception of King John of France, wore green and white. John de Paylynton, another Berkhamsted bowman, had his rent remitted 'for good and free service in Gascony'.

Ravens Lane and the brass in St Peter's Church in Berkhamsted, perpetuate the memory of Sir John Raven, esquire to the Black Prince. Prince Edward Street is part of the road that originally led from the Castle to the town archery practice ground Butts Meadow, formerly known as the Buttericks or the Buttfield. Berkhamsted men were still practising Archery in 1716, because it is known that in that year the Butts were repaired at the expense of the Parish.

There are no known records of Archery in Berkhamsted from 1716 until Victorian times when William Longman was the leading figure of a club in the area. By the mid 19th century, archery had become a sport for the leisured classes and included many ladies who found the exercise beneficial. Mr Longman lived in Ashlyns Hall and it was his publishing house and his son C.J. Longman, who were responsible for the publication in 1896 of a very comprehensive book on Archery. C.J. Longman was British Archery Champion in 1883.

The Archers Register for 1889 published an obituary of William Hammond Solly of Serge Hill, Bedmond, Hemel Hempstead and says "he was for many years connected with the South Hertfordshire Archery Club where he held the highest distinctions as also amongst the Aldenham and Berkhamsted Archers".

"Trifles and Travels" by Arthur Keyser, published by John Murray in 1923 mentions 'Annual Archery Meetings held in the picturesque grounds adorned by the ruins of Berkhamsted Castle' after which the prizes were presented by Lady Marion Alford of Ashridge.

The records and trophies of the Berkhamsted Bowmen were unfortunately all destroyed by fire in 1940, when the premises of the Longman Publishing Company in London were destroyed by enemy action.

Notes from the Journal of the Society of Archer-Antiquaries records that in 1931 the then Office of Works whilst excavating at Berkhamsted Castle, found a bow 2.5 feet down in the muddy silt of the inner moat on the east side. This weapon, now in the British Museum, was originally thought to be a Saxon short bow but has now been identified as the prod of a cross bow.