About the Bowyers

The Worshipful Company of Bowyers is one of the older and smaller of the City of London's livery companies. We celebrate our piece of history, we work hard at our charitable activity, and we provide a convivial sociable environment that keeps our members engaged.

Brentwood Sea Cadets winners on the London Area Offshore Award 2022

On Thursday 2nd February IPM David Laxton, Court Assistant Richard Martin and Past Master Michael Wren had the privilege of being guests at the celebrations to commemorate the founding of Brentwood Sea Cadet Unit, TS St. Vincent 80 years ago in 1943. It was a packed house including the mayor of Brentwood, the local Army Cadet CO together with family members of the assembled cadets and two gentlemen who had been Sea Cadets in Brentwood in the 1950's.

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January Livery Dinner, 25 January, Cutlers' Hall

On Wednesday 25th January forty-seven Bowyers and their guests gathered in Cutlers' Hall for the Bowyers' January Livery Dinner. It will come as no surprise that, the 25th being Burns' Night, the menu had a distinctly Scottish flavour. We started with Haggis, Neaps & Taties, served with Dalwhinnie malt whisky, followed by delicious Highland beef and finished with a Scottish traditional Cranachan desert.

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Freedom of the City News – January 2023

Despite disruptive rail travel there were on hand a 'Goodly Company of Bowyers' at Guildhall on Friday 6th January to witness Derram Attfield receive his Freedom of the City of London.

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Our Coat of Arms

The arms of the Company were granted by Sir Thomas Holme, Clarenceux King of Arms on 10 November 1488. The main charge is the 'flote' which was a device for planing and smoothing the bow stave. The chevron has no special meaning but is simply to separate the 'flotes' in the design. It is commonly found at this time in arms granted to corporations, livery companies and others. Likewise, so far as we know the mullets are merely decorative.

The Crest of three bows may represent the product in use and ties up neatly with the motto: Crecy, Poitiers, Agincourt.

The Supporters were granted in July 1996. The dexter is a representative of a medieval bowyer in the livery of his Company (black and white) holding a 'flote' as one of the tools of his trade. The sinister, a representation of an archer of the time of Agincourt symbolises the product in use.

The supporters stand upon a green mound which is strewn with pointed stakes set at an angle such as were used by the archers at Agincourt as a defence against cavalry.