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Harthill's Oldest Footpath?

Many years ago an elderly farmer from Harthill told me that the gate to the field on Winney Lane next to the Yorkshire Water site entrance was where cattle were once led up to Loscar to graze and where they were then brought back down again to the various farms that once existed in Harthill.

Harthill with Woodall Archaeology Group have since discovered that this gateway may have been in existence since at least 1181 AD and was, for centuries, required by law for another reason not linked to farming at all.

The Harthill with Woodall Archaeology Group have been transcribing a 1584 Land Tax document for Harthill. In it, the document mentions an area of land described as 'Bowman's Land'. This is an area of land now known as 'Southards Butt' that runs south of Grange Farm and Carr Farm.

The document says: "6 acres on Wynterwell in the holding of Robert Tayler between Mr Hynde and Bowman's Land."

Wynterwell still exists today and is known as Wenterwell Fields south east of Grange Farm next to Harthill Field Road and is part of the fields belonging to Loscar Farm.

Bowman's Land was where Harthill villagers HAD to practice their archery following the Assize of Arms in 1252 (also known as the 'Ordinance of 1252'). This was a proclamation of King Henry III concerning the Assize of Arms of 1181. "English yeomen were required by law, in an early version of a militia, to practice archery and maintain their skills."

Archery had been the key to King Henry V's victory in 1415 at the Battle of Agincourt where the English archers were made up of labourers, servants, artificers or victualers.

The path on the map above (marked in yellow) leads to Bowman's Land as it was called in 1584, or Southard's Butt as it is called today.

During the medieval period, special places were assigned in every village in England for archery training. These were called the 'Butts'. The medieval butts were usually located on the outskirts of villages or towns on common land.

The first medieval Archery Law was passed in 1252 when all Englishmen between the age of 7 to 60 years of age were ordered, by law, to equip themselves with a bow and arrows.

The second Archery Law of 1363 made it obligatory for Englishmen to practise their skills with the longbow every Sunday.

It was at Bowman's Land that an Act of Parliament known as 'The Unlawful Games Act of 1541' was enforced. This Act of Parliament was designed to prohibit 'Several new devised games' that caused 'the Decay of Archery.'

"All men under the age of sixty years shall have Bows and Arrows for shooting." "Men-Children between Seven Years and Seventeen shall have a Bow and 2 Shafts." "Men about Seventeen Years of Age shall keep a Bow and 4 Arrows." The penalty for nonobservance was set at 6s. 8d.

It was at Bowman's Land that Harthill men and boys used to practise their skills with the longbow. Skill in using the medieval longbow had to be acquired over many years.

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