Archery, Romance and Elite Culture in England and Wales, c. 1780-1840
By Martin Johnes
History, Vol.89 (2004)
Abstract: During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the longbow was rendered redundant as a weapon of war by technological developments such as the musket. Yet at the end of the eighteenth century, archery was revived as a fashionable pastime amongst the English aristocracy thanks to a nostalgic taste for the gothic and medieval. Archery societies were set up across the country, each with its own strict entry criteria, outlandish costumes and extravagant dinners.
In a period that saw the making of the modern British upper class, as landowners became more powerful, more unified and more status-conscious, archery societies were havens of exclusivity and a way of reinforcing and reassuring one’s own position in society. Furthermore, women could not only compete in the contests but retain and display their ‘feminine forms’ whilst doing so, and thus the clubs also acted as a forum for introductions, flirtation and romance.
This article explores the meaning of archery for upper-class men and women and demonstrates how wider social needs and interests shaped play, recreation and fashion.
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