Archery free, fair and friendly - the Fraternity of Saint George is open
to all Archers
You do not
have to be a member to join. Archers from all walks of life just turn
up, pay their shooting fee and join the event – all thereby become
shooting members of the Fraternity.
Openness and
welcome that originate in the ancient tradition of free association.
Freedom to
shoot in glorious surroundings.
Fairness that
enables all to score and to enjoy themselves.
Friendly,
because Archers of the Fraternity help one another and share their
knowledge.
If you want
to see your arrows arc high up into the sky – this is the shoot for you
!
There is
plenty of choice. The Fraternity of Saint George organises 9 shoots a
year; always on the finest Estates that are Archer-friendly. Two shoots
are in France and one is on the ancient ground of the Artillery Garden
of the Honourable Artillery Company in London (key events).
Fraternity shoots “do exactly what it says on the tin”
Shoots
are never cancelled. Safety and enjoyment are paramount. Events
start, run and finish exactly as advertised. Archers come to the
Fraternity’s shoots and know they are guaranteed a fantastic day’s
shooting (shoot report and scores) !
Main
activity is shooting at the
Marks, but other traditional
forms of archery are also encouraged;
Speed-shooting; Distance (flight) shooting; the King’s Target; the
Wand etc.
First
ever to organize the International Championship at the Marks in
2005, the Fraternity was also the first to organise the British
Longbow Society’s Flight Championship in 2007. It also runs the
premier all-round competition for heavy longbows, known as the
International Mary Rose Warbow Trophy (IMRWT).
On the
scientific side, the Fraternity has developed the Universal Longbow
Flight Scale (ULFS), which measures Archer’s loosing /
shooting efficiency over distance. Data have been published and are
available to Archers during the shoots.
The Fraternity cooperates closely with the main archery structures both
in the UK and abroad
It is
affiliated to the I.L.A.A. one of the UK’s three mainline Archery Associations providing insurance cover.
The International Artillery Archers Association (I.L.A.A.) encourages and defines the benchmarks of shooting at the
Marks as
well as all other traditional forms of
Longbow Archery; flight shooting, speed shooting, target and clout
shooting, field shooting and popinjay.
The
Fraternity of Saint George looks after Archers !
How it all
began
In 1509 King Henry VIII
commenced making annual payments to a small company of Archers called
the Fraternity of St. George. These payments were made every 23rd April
to encourage their practise of the Longbow. In 1537 King Henry VIII
formalized these arrangements, granting a Charter in the name of the Fraternity and Guild of Saint George later
known as the Honourable Artillery Company of London. The word artillery
comes from the French “Arc tirer”, to pull or draw the bow. The longbow
was indeed Europe's medieval artillery. The King's Bowman in France were
called “Artilleurs du Roy.”
From the early 1500’s the Archers of the
Fraternity practised the longbow in the Finsbury fields, Moorfields and
Spitalfields just North of London Wall. South of the Thames they shot in
the fields of Southwark. They regularly organised
tournaments in which many thousands of archers presented themselves.
Shooting in the Longbow was
greatly encouraged by the Sovereigns of England for obvious
politico/strategic reasons.
King Edward III enjoined
upon the Sheriffs of London the general proclamation to learn and
practise the art of shooting with bows and arrows. King Edward IV passed
a statute limiting the price of Longbows. King Richard II passed an Act
commanding all servants to exercise themselves at all times of leisure
and on all holidays. Henry VII did the same. Henry VIII passed an act
for the maintenance of archers and concerning the import of adequate
numbers of bow staves into the realm.
In 1594 a book by the name
“Ayme for Finsbvrie Archers” was published, describing in detail the
activities of the archers using the above areas and the targets set out
in the Saint George and Finsbury fields in the 1560’s. It was a complete
guide as to the rules and distances of every mark in and around the
fields of London. These marks enabled archers including those now in the
Honourable Artillery Company to shoot and practise at various lengths.
At that time the Longbow was a weapon of war and distance was
all-important, so the marks were set out at a greater range than
practised in modern times.
By far the most important aspect of the Longbow men's training from a
military standpoint was the ability to keep a good length over any
range. Consequently pricking, or shooting at a fixed target, was
considered of less importance than roving, i.e. going across country
shooting at marks of unknown and varying distances. Through this
exercise Longbow men acquired a good judgement of terrain and became
redoubtable all-round archers, good at keeping the length. The rules and
various lists of winners of Easter and Whitsun meetings from 1653 are
still to be found in the Guildhall library in London. These distances,
the type of shooting and the scoring method are still the basis of
shooting today when shoots of the Fraternity of Saint George are carried
on in the grounds of great houses and country pastures.
Whitehall Mark
There were a great many
marks set out permanently in the fields North of London Wall. The last
of the marks called “Scarlet” was removed in 1881 to the Honourable
Artillery Company in whom the ownership of the marks was vested. Indeed
it was the H.A.C. who had maintained and renewed the marks from the
beginning.
The Fraternity of Saint
George, now known as the Honourable Artillery Company ceased shooting in
the 1760’s. Surviving members became founder members of the Royal
Toxophilite Society in 1781, at which time the Company of the Finsbury
Mark also merged.
The present day Royal
Toxophilite Society was for a short time associated to the Honourable
Artillery Company under the Saint George Bowmen, but subsequently
reverted to its separate status. At present the Royal Toxophilite
Society no longer shoot roving marks, but confines it's shooting to
target and fixed clout rounds
Scarlet Mark
The Fraternity of Saint
George was reformed by its current Custodians under the captaincy of B.
E. Mooyaart and commenced shooting in the County of Kent. Its home
ground is at Godinton Park.
Shoots are regularly held
in a variety of grounds of country estates and maintain the tradition of
shooting at the marks.
The reforming of the
Fraternity of Saint George was due to an upsurge in the demand by
Longbow men and women for a revival of the traditional Longbow shoots in
the manner of the Medieval Longbow men, but without the need for
re-enactment and costume.
The Fraternity seeks to
unify and encourage Longbow men and women from many countries. To serve
as a reminder that their sport lies at the basis of all sporting and
Olympic archery. To guard against a fragmentation in the styles of
shooting, which could compromise the long term interests of the sport.
To provide by its testimony a return to tradition without formality and
thereby perpetuate both the sport and its link with history.
This revival is supported
by other Longbow Companies also, both in England and abroad where the
Fraternity has good connections. Much is due to the enthusiasm of Mr
John Whitmore on finding the details of the Fraternity from past records
and to Mr Fred Lake.
Aims of the Fraternity of Saint
George
The Fraternity encourages the safe use of the Longbow.
The Fraternity seeks to maintain the direct connection to the practise
of the Medieval Longbow man, by upholding the traditional forms of
longbow shooting.
The Fraternity keeps a low threshold of entry to shooting in the Longbow
so that all may join.
The Fraternity welcomes and encourages all practitioners of the Longbow
from all races, creeds and abilities.
The Fraternity makes due allowance for women, children down to the age
of five and the handicapped, so that all may have the chance to score
and to enjoy themselves.
The Fraternity organises practise shoots and arranges for those new to its style of shooting to have someone to accompany and encourage them.
Members of the Fraternity lobbied for the acceptance of women bowyers by the Guild of Bowyers and Fletchers and continues to press for equality of treatment in all aspects of the sport.
The Fraternity has updated its original Constitution so as to enhance safety and address the legal position of it and of its members. The emphasis on safety, behaviour during shoots as well as clear definitions and procedures, encourage best practise and serve as a benchmark for other Longbow Companies.
Sea-griffin mark
The shooting traditions of the Fraternity of Saint George maintain a direct link with the Longbow man of old. Members of “the Fraternity” shoot over considerable distances to drop their arrows as close to a designated mark as possible. A typical shoot has up to a dozen different marks set out at distances that
often deliberately hard for participants to estimate.
The names and designs of the marks date back to those that used to be set out in the 16th Century Finsbury, Moorfields, Spitalfields
and St. George fields of London. “Botless star”, “Sea-griffin”, “Kirby’s castle”, “Swan’s stake”, “Turke’s whale”; names many of which had direct associations with City of London establishments. The distances shot and a method of scoring are virtually unchanged.
The day's shooting is usually rounded
off with a distance shot, known as the shot in the Cloth of Gold. It
follows King Henry VIII ability to shoot 12 arrows into the Gold at 12
score yards, as he did in 1520. Shot in spectacular volleys of arrows,
so too the archers of the Fraternity shoot at distance as well as aim.
Rules of the Fraternity of Saint George
Each
member shoots with bow and arrow of traditional type, with stacked
belly, horn or self nocks, not less than 5 ft 6 in. long for men and
5 ft long for ladies.
Shooting
is by the instinctive method and no artificial aids to aiming,
rubber bands, tape, sight marks, or arrow rests are allowed.
Shooting
resembles as closely as possible the distances shot in the fields of
London in the 1500’s. Distances vary around an average that is
comfortably within the Clout shooting distance for Ladies and
Gentlemen. At
least one shot is in the traditions and at the distance of the Cloth
of Gold at 240 yards. There is also speed shooting and a volley shot
in the tradition of the Agincourt arrow.
All members shoot three
arrows at each mark. Scoring is not to hit the mark but to be the
closest to it. Scoring at each mark is cumulative and is measured in
segments in the Fraternity’s colours of white, red and blue. Arrows are
measured nearest pile or feather; at 12 points within half a bow-length
(white), 7 points within a further three-quarters of a bow-length (red)
and 3 points within a further one and three-quarter bow-lengths (blue).
The Fraternity of Saint George was part of a core of Citizen Soldiers whose records go back to 1509.
It is the oldest regiment in the world and therefore maintains a direct
connection between the Army of today and the Civilian Archery companies
of Medieval England.
Today's Fraternity is
still about building bridges, about arranging the best, varied and most
reliable shoots for the largest numbers of Archers in safety and in
friendship.
Member of the Court of
Assistants, The Honourable Artillery Company
Sir John and Lady Swire
CBE.
DL.
Brigadier P. Dunbar-Johnson
OBE.
Général H. Chauchart du
Mottay
Président de
l'Association des Gueules Cassées
Commandeur de la Légion
d'Honneur
Grand Officier de
l'Ordre National du Mérite
A. Matzneff
Conseiller du Président des Gueules Cassées
Chevalier de la Légion
d'Honneur
Officier
de l'Ordre Souverain de Malte
Grateful acknowledgement to the Victoria and Albert museum, the Honourable Artillery Company of London and the Toxophilite Society for the photographs and engravings.
(1941-2005) 