jan 1, 1593 - arrow-head smith

Description:

A maker of iron arrow-heads, like ‘arrowsmith’. The shaft and the head of an arrow were made by different workmen, and the heads were the responsibility of a specialist smith. In earlier centuries arrows had an intrinsic value and were sometimes used to settle rents in lieu of cash payments or services. In 1257-8, Elias de Knolle held land in Slaidburn valued at ‘12 barbed arrows’ (YRS12/48) and in an undated thirteenth-century grant of land in Swinton, the grantee paid ‘one arrow at the nativity of Saint John … for all secular services, suits, taxes, customs and demands’ (TWH16/5). The Sheffield smiths evidently enjoyed a national reputation for they supplied arrow-heads to the constable of Chester Castle in 1401-2 when weapons were needed to counter the threat from Owain Glyn Dwr. One entry was for 2,000 arrowheads from <i>John del Smythy </i>de Sheffeld (SC 6/774/14). The occupational term was later than ‘arrowsmith’: 1500 <i>Richard Bright of the Hurlowe </i>[Whirlow] <i>… arowehedsmyth</i> (TWH14/36); 1556 <i>Thomas Mytchell, Owlerton … arrowhead smythe</i> (YRS14/115); 1558 <i>Robart Bayte, Darnall, Sheffeld, arrowhedsmythe</i> (YRS14/12); 1593 <i>William Carr, Darnell</i> … <i>arrowheadsmith</i> (YRS22/23). An Act was passed in 1541-2 which was designed to prevent the decline of archery by reinforcing earlier statutes which had debarred the playing of ‘unlawful’ games. It was in response to a petition by all the tradesmen involved in making bows and arrows, including the arrow-head makers (YRS3/47). Nevertheless the trade inevitably declined over the next one hundred years and the Twiggs of Attercliffe were apparently the last Sheffield family to make arrow-heads (FBH134): no references to the craft have been found later than 1660.

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