Archer's Test

[DIP]

They tossed me out of SHOUT and sent me here I have a question - has anyone heard of an ancient Archer's Test - a spot required (under law) for archer's to practice. Up near Mytholm I walked the valley road each day and spotted what I assumed was a small gravel pit. I was told by my Landlady that it was an Archer's Test. Does anyone here know if these did indeed exist? Thank you so very much if anyone here has the answer.
Happy New Year!
DIP

[Fugue]

Not sure about the term "Archer's Test" but most villages in England did have somewhere to practice archery, the term I have come across more frequently is archery butt's, originally they were just mounds of earth to shoot at but later the term was used for the targets.

I know of one which is still in existence at Bramhall Hall in Stockport, although I should imagine there are many more around.

[DIP]

Thanks for responding I now have a new search word to try.......
and that really helps, thank you!
DIP

[Thunk]

Hi DIP! I guessed from your question in the shoutbox that you might not be english...it's always nice to be proven right!

The British Army has an enviable reputation, but it's not as old as some of the regiments which make it up. Until after the English civil war (1639 -1645) the monarch had no standing army to field in time of war. Instead he required the nobility (who were all by default major landowners) to maintain a level of martial skills aming the workers on their estates. Archery was usually compulsory on Sunday after church, and most medieval churches had a wooden gantry on the outside wall at one end which could be swung out and populated with small targets in the shape of birds which were shot at for practice. This is the origin of the mosbnt ancient form of archery as a sport, which is usually known as 'Popinjay'. It's still quite a big thing in some places - like Belgium!

I don't know Mytholm, but it may well be that in places where this arrangement was not practical, other forms of practice were common, and I suppose that a natural pit would be a good place to shoot without endangering other people - or the master's livestock!

Hopefully others who are more into traditional archery than I can add to (or correct) the foregoing. Paul Provins - where are you?

Incidentally, the thing about the shoutbox is purely practical. It uses a disproportionate amount of our server resources, so extended use tends to be frowned upon, and is usually signified by one of us mods *coughing*!

Welcome to AIUK!

[DIP]

Your answer provides even more to look into and it is greatly appreciated. Ahem.....I am English/Scottish by my heritage, and up until a few months ago I was British by marriage. I'm proud of it. Anyone wants to flip residency with me (at least until the Democrats are back in the Prez'z office) are welcome - I'd much rather be living there
Thanks once again -
DIP

[hooktonboy]

Hi DIP, you might also find that a lot of towns etc hang on to this in certain placenames too. I'm pretty sure that Archer's Way in Wrexham was once the practice area, for example (Read that somewhere).
Welcome.

[gino]

The term "on your marks" to start a race and to "mark your target" (football, to mark another player) is also from archery. Marks and Butts were terms used when training.

[Raedwald]

Originally Posted by hooktonboy

Hi DIP, you might also find that a lot of towns etc hang on to this in certain placenames too. I'm pretty sure that Archer's Way in Wrexham was once the practice area, for example (Read that somewhere).
Welcome.

Being a Potteries lad by birth (look, ok, someone has to be.....), one set of Grandparents lived in an area to the north of Kidsgrove called Butt Lane.

Wonder where the butts would have been?

[its my party and]

Crumps Butts in the town where i live was a pathway which used to lead to the church around the town at the time. Man and boy above the age of 7 were required to shoot at a fixed target in a field leading off of the field. This "target" was tended by the "idiot" who was required to collect the arrows and have them collected and waiting at the church when everybody emerged. At this time he/they had retired to the field where blunts had been provided by the local marshalling officer!
It was then the archers task to "team build" by shooting volleys at the running idiot/s who were rewarded at the end with provisions or continued employment by the local landowner. There are records depicting lots of broken bones and a few deaths from this traditional sunday morning mirth. The local historical writer lives at the bottom of my garden and shared this at a barbecue when he saw my target back in the summer.

[hooktonboy]

Originally Posted by its my party and

There are records depicting lots of broken bones and a few deaths from this traditional sunday morning mirth......

And I'm pretty sure that I've read that Edward I (?) thought that archery practice was so important (militarily speaking) that he banned all other sports on Sundays, made archery practice compulsory, and decreed that if you shot somone during practice "accidentally" then this was not a crime and therefore there was no punishment!