The Ancient Society of Kilwinning Archers
The Ancient Society of Kilwinning Archers Silver Arrow trophy
The Ancient Society of Kilwinning Archers (ASKA) goes back many centuries and Clan Hunter is pleased to have been part of their history. For years the Hunter family have welcomed ASKA onto their land for practice and competition, often taking part and winning medals themselves for the coveted Silver Arrow trophy.
Madam Pauline, Chief of Clan Hunter, is pleased to present the winners with well-earned trophies. Above: Madam Pauline Hunter presents the Hunterston Horn to Dave Tough in 2023.
Each year Clan Hunter extends a warm welcome to the Society at our Clan Hunter International Gatherings. They offer our visitors the opportunity to try their hand at shooting the longbow; something our ancestors were skilled at. The Hunters were expert hunters from Normandy and maintained hunting grounds for the monarch in Ayrshire.
The Ancient Society of the Kilwinning Archers’ long-standing member Stuart Wilson, has spent three years restoring the Silver Arrow trophy and researching information about the medals and their winners. Like all research, Stuart has discovered that his work is but the tip of the iceberg and our thanks go out to him for his hard work and dedication and his willingness to share his discoveries.
In this blog post we have concentrated on the Society’s strong bonds to Hunterston and the Lairds who took part in shooting the Papingo. There are links to the ASKA website for more information.
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The History of the Ancient Society of Kilwinning Archers.
From its commencement in 1483 to the present day
some 538 years later.
The bow was invented and evolved initially for hunting but then as a weapon of war.
Green & White is still worn by archers today!
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Where does the start date of 1483 of the Kilwinning Archers come from?
Well we know that in 1482 James III of Scotland raised an
army to fight his brother Alexander who, whilst contending the Scottish throne, had formed an alliance with Richard of Gloucester (later to become Richard III) and together they invaded Berwick upon Tweed in the borders. James’ expedition, however, was to end in the mutiny at Lauder Bridge.
Left: James III and below: Alexander Duke of Albany
Hugh Montgomerie, the 2nd Lord Eglinton, later to become the 1st Earl of Eglinton, would have raised his own contingent for that army and that would have included a body of archers
from this part of Ayrshire. We believe that it was this event that saw the genesis of our present day Society when the archers, returning from the conflict in 1483, the year that Richard of
Gloucester was to become Richard III and, having to practice archery anyway, as it was a law made by King James I, chose to do so in company with their own band of comrades.
We also know that Montgomerie fought at the Battle of Sauchieburn, for the rebels, a few years later in 1488 so it is likely that, seeing the way the wind was blowing after Lauder Bridge, he would have actively encouraged the archers to stay together and keep in practice.
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Extract from the Society’s First Written Record of 1688
This states that the Society had been
shooting at the Papingo for the ‘space of two
hundred years and upwards’ giving us a
start date of at least 1488 with later debate
finally fixing it at 1483.
Note: The spelling
here is as the
original minute!
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Papingo or Popinjay Shooting
In Scotland by decree of King and Parliament the young men of every parish had to turn out for archery practice and these “wapenschaws” or exhibitions of arms were in many places held
“every Sunday after divine service” and shooting at the Papingo usually formed part of this demonstration of skill.
Basically this was shooting at an elevated target with the Abbey Tower being a very convenient place to fix such a device. The target was usually in the form of a bird, the Papingo (or Popinjay), and was shot at with a bow although by the 17th century muskets were being used having, by then, replaced the bow as a weapon of war.
At Kilwinning however a Company of Archers persisted and the use of the bow continued as a popular sport rather than as a demonstration of proficiency as a military force.
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The Ancient Society of Kilwinning Archers still shoot at the Papingo today!
Whilst the Captain is now decided at the Butts the traditional Papingo shoot continues to this present day.
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John Hamilton of Grange 1742
John Hamilton of Grange was the uncle of Alexander Hamilton who was born in the Windward Islands in the Caribbean. Alexander became one of the founding
fathers of the U.S.A. and the 1st Secretary of the United States Treasury and his face still appears on their $10 bill.
Several other members of this family have medals on the Silver Arrow.
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Medal now attributed to Charles Boyd Esq. 1745
Why was this medal left blank? Look carefully at the left-hand border!
Hidden in the border are some little Burnet Roses, the little white rose of Scotland and the symbol of the Jacobites.
Charles Boyd was a Jacobite!
Having established who won this medal we are commissioning this medallion to be fitted alongside the medal telling the story of why it was left blank.
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Picture from the Illustrated London News of 1846
Kilwinning Papingo Day shooting at the target field
On the morning of the annual shoot the Society paraded to the Butts preceded by the band to shoot for a prize of the piece of silver ‘plait’ that had been pledged, in turn, by each Society member as it fell due. We still have pledges yet to fall due up to the year 2410!
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Picture from the Illustrated London News of 1846
Kilwinning Papingo shooting at the Abbey Tower
After dinner the Society again paraded to the Abbey Tower where the ‘bird was loosed’ and the members proceeded to shoot in turn trying to knock it off the pole. When this was achieved the steeple bell was rung, the crowd cheered and the instrumental band struck up.
The new Captain was fitted with his ‘Benn’ (a red sash) and he made his pledge to fit a medal onto the Silver Arrow the following year. He also had to pay for the Ball that followed!
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Historical Links to the Hunters of Hunterston
Whilst there is a number of Hunters mentioned as being members throughout our records only one has a medal on the Silver Arrow. The Ancient prize of Papingoe was gained by James Hunter Esq’r at Kilwinning 21st July 1796.
James Hunter is described in the records as being a ‘Manufacturer in Paisley’. He joined the Society in 1794.
Research to date has not revealed any definite link to Hunterston but it is certainly possible and investigations continue.
The next two medals, however, show members who are definitely linked without any doubt.
Gavin Ralston 1756
The Antient Prize of Papinge was gaind by Gavin Ralston Esq of Ralston ye 20th May 1756. On the reverse is engraved the badge of the Ralston clan with the Latin motto “Fide Et Marte” Translates as “With Fidelity and Bravery”.
Despite its close proximity to Paisley, Ralston always remained independent of its larger neighbour, and until 1974, formed the most part of Hurlet and Oldhall. The family had, in fact, sold Ralston by this time to the Earl of Dundonald but retained the estate of Woodside renaming it Woodside-Ralston.
The estate of Woodside eventually came into the hands of Robert William Cochrane-Patrick the direct descendent of Gavin Ralston and part of it is now the site of Paisley Crematorium and the Mansion at Ralston, now demolished, is the site of Ralston Golf Club.
William Cochrane-Patrick 1842
The Ancient Prize of papingo was Gained by William Cochran Patrick Esq of Ladyland and Waterside at Killwinning August 26th 1842. On the reverse is the combined arms for the Patrick and Cochran families and their mottoes – “ora et labora”, “pray and work” and “virtute et labore”, “by valour and exertion”.
This was William Charles Richard Patrick of Waterside, who took the name Cochrane-Patrick when he married Agnes, eldest daughter of William Cochrane of Ladyland. Waterside is about 5 miles north of Galston and Ladyland is near Kilbirnie.
The family also inherited the Hunterston estates in 1969 and
matriculated the Arms and title of Hunter of Hunterston.
Dr Robert Patrick 1832
Dr Robert Patrick was the father of William Cochrane-Patrick and he donated a pair of these ‘Silver Cuppes’ as the Butt prize for 1832. They were won, under controversial circumstances, by a Mr James Stirrat a merchant from Dalry. He subsequently, after winning a total of five other Butt prizes over the next eight years, was eventually ‘Excluded from the Society’ for becoming intoxicated after his last win in 1839 and missing the AGM, Dinner and that day’s Papingo.
These ‘Cuppes’ then some how found their way back to the Cochrane-Patrick family and were eventually donated back to the Society by Neil Cochrane-Patrick, 29th Laird of Hunter of Hunterston in 1974 when we started shooting Clout at Hunterston.
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The Hunterston Clout
The estate at Hunterston lends itself well to shooting clout having the distance required, 180 yards plus safety distance and this photo shows the area
where we first shot. From in front of the castle, through the gap in the trees towards the house.
Neil, who was Chief of Clan Hunter in 1974 also presented the Society with this rather splendid trophy for the ‘Hunterston Clout’. It is in the form of the hunting horn that forms part of the Coat of Arms of the Hunters.
It is made of Silver and is one of our nicest
trophies.
(And it also works as a horn!)
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The Society also features on the Great Tapestry of Scotland
Look at the bottom right hand corner!
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Our grateful thanks to Stuart Wilson of The Ancient Society of the Kilwinning Archers who has researched this presentation.
If you have any questions, or comments, please contact: Lucy J Hunter-Weston at ljhunterweston@gmail.com.
