A Brief history of archery
at Hampton Court and
The Hampton Court
Company of Archers
Hampton Court has had a long association with archery. In August 1425 Rowland Lenthall (who was previously Master of the Robes for Henry IV) along with 8 Men at Arms, took 33 archers from this part of Herefordshire to fight for King Henry V in his attempt to regain the French throne. Following the Siege of Harfleur, where no doubt these same archers were called upon to rain arrows down on the besieged town and walls, the men from Herefordshire went on to fight valiantly at Agincourt. Recognised as being one of the most decisive battles of the Middle Ages, 5000 Englishmen, although outnumbered by the French 3 to1, wrought such destruction with the longbow that to this day, it remains one of the most celebrated successes of English warfare. Rowland and his men fought so well that he was knighted on the field and it is said that they took so many French knights hostage, that Hampton Court was built upon the proceeds of the ransom money.
Whilst the names of the Men at Arms who formed Rowland’s retinue are known, research into the names of the archers that went with them is ongoing. Whoever they were, it’s not too fanciful to think that prior to their deployment to war, they would have ‘roved’ in the countryside around Hampton Court, practicing for many years with bows of 120 pounds draw weight or more, the hitting of marks of various sizes and distances. Who knows; sometime, possibly in the spring or summer of 1415, would they have been called upon by Rowland, their master and would be knight, to attend Hampton Court, and to demonstrate their ability with the longbow before he took them to war? It’s very probable.
Eventually the house was sold again, this time to the Arkwright family. Richard Arkwright, father of the Industrial Age, bought the house for his son John who took up residence in 1810. A keen archer himself, in the summer of 1826 he established the Herefordshire Bow Meeting, an archery competition held each year on the great estates of the county and an event which continues to this day. In 1854 when John’s son, John Hungerford Arkwright, reached the age of 21, a painting was commissioned to commemorate his birthday and which shows archery targets ranged on the lawn amongst the tents and marquees.
It is with these historical thoughts and connections in mind that the Hampton Court Company of Archers (HCCoA) shoot here today. Aware of the historical resonance that the bow has created in the valley behind the mellow sandstone walls of the house and the picturesque hills bounded by the River Lugg, the HCCoA hope to add a further chapter to the history of archery on this estate. It is intended that each year they will celebrate and toast those 33 archers who fought with Sir Rowland, by holding an Agincourt shoot and dinner.
The current membership is made up of 40 archers, both ladies and gentlemen who wearing the traditional green and white, meet each month to shoot on the lawn behind the castle. Whilst many shoot the modern recurve bow, many also continue to shoot the English Longbow. The maximum range you will see shot on the lawn is 100 yards and ‘rounds,’ consisting of shooting a set number of ‘dozens’ of arrows, at various distances, form the basis of the archery events and competitions. The target faces are normally 122cms across, although for some rounds these will be reduced in size to increase the difficulty at the shorter distances. The bows generally have a draw weight of between 28 and 60 pounds.
The Hampton Court Company of Archers (HCCoA) is not a club but an association of the archery clubs within the county of Herefordshire. Anyone wishing to take up archery should first contact their local club. Anyone with queries regarding the Hampton Court Company of Archers should contact the Captain, Marc Grady at lvca@live.co.uk