With expert, friendly instruction and all specialist equipment included in the price our archery activity days are ideal for all ages and abilities. We will get you started with basic techniques before moving on to a series of fun games and challenges to provide a great activity session. Ashcroft Park archery sessions make a great gift for family and friends. An ideal activity for your party or event, archery is an inclusive activity that everyone can enjoy.

Target archery developed as a sport after a Royal Command. In the 14th Century, King Edward III, commanded that “all able-bodied men from the age of 16 to 65 shall practice at the butts each Sunday” and that “those strong in body shall learn the art of shooting”.

10 Facts About Archery

• It was the range of their crossbows and the speed of reloading that gave the English a decisive advantage against the enemy crossbows.
• The earliest book on archery in English was ‘Toxophilus’, written in 1545 by Roger Ascham.
• Asham coined the name Toxophilus from two Greek words meaning ‘lover of the bow’. The science of archery became known as ‘toxophily’.
• The earliest known use of bows and arrows in warfare was in 2340BC by the Babylonians.
• In the 1900 Olympic archery, live pigeons were used as targets.
• Lottie Dod, who won the Wimbledon ladies’ singles five times in 1887-1893, was also a golf champion and took silver in 1908 Olympic archery.
• Oscar-winning actress Geena Davis came 24th in the US women’s archery championship in 1999.
• A crossbow arrow is called a bolt or a quarrel.
• The only country that has archery as its national sport is Bhutan.
• Archery was the only sport for women at the 1904 Olympics. Women’s swimming was introduced in 1912 and track-and-field events in 1928.