Relief

Chiswell Archer

Site: Chiswell Archer (1 memorial)

EC1, Chiswell Street, 14-20, Longbow House

In 1315 a large area known as Bunhill Fields was leased to the City of London, probably to be used, amongst other things, for archery practice.  Eventually about two square miles of Islington fields were turned into the archery equivalent of a golf course with 194 targets.

In 1498, as the musket replaced the longbow, part of this area was made into an artillery ground. The Honourable Artillery Company still occupies the land it was granted then, north of this, 1950s-60s, building.  Its designers have referred back to the archery history with this bold, primitive relief.

We were lucky enough to be able to visit the Honourable Artillery Company on a recent open day and inside their Armoury House there is an interestingly battered stone with a nearby plaque: "This ancient mark or Rover is one of a number of similar stones used by the HAC for archery from 1537 to 1792 and which formerly extended from the Artillery Ground to Islington Common. It was removed to this spot from the wall near the Canal Bridge in the New North Road, 26th July 1881." And nearby is a small framed map, showing the location of the 'similar stones' and the measurements between them. A caption reads "This plan shows the position of the ancient stone shooting marks which formerly extended from the Artillery Ground to Islington Common, the last of which, bearing the inscription "Scarlet", was removed from the wall near the Canal Bridge in the New North Road and erected at the Armoury House, 26 July 1881."

We believe this area was known as the Finsbury Marks. See The Company of Roving Archers and the Bowyers Company which has a whole page on the history.

Longbow House was designed by Joseph & F. Milton Cashmore & Partners in the 1950s. We cannot identify the sculptor.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Chiswell Archer

Subjects commemorated i

Archery practice

From the Norman period, at least, until the introduction of firearms in the 1...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Phoenix Fire Office

Phoenix Fire Office

EC3, Cornhill

Around the top are some delightful reliefs in iron of the badges of early fire insurance companies: Sun, Phoenix, London and Royal Exchan...

1 subject commemorated
Saville Theatre - Khaki

Saville Theatre - Khaki

WC2, Shaftesbury Avenue, Odeon Covent Garden

This shows Ernie Lotinga in the play 'Khaki'.

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Sir Leonard Hutton - brick sculpture

Sir Leonard Hutton - brick sculpture

SE11, Kennington Oval, John Edrich Gate

Unveiled by Hutton's widow.

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators
25 South Street

25 South Street

W1, South Street, 25

Deborah Singmaster of Footnotes sent us a photo and asked if we had any information. We did some research (see below) but have failed to...

2 creators
St Pancras at Gloucester Gate Bridge

St Pancras at Gloucester Gate Bridge

NW1, Parkway

There are two identical bronze panels, the other being at the south-west corner of this bridge structure. There used to be an arm of the ...

1 subject commemorated, 3 creators