Visit to Armourers’ and Brasiers’ Livery Hall and City pub lunch

The Armourers & Brasiers’ Company started life in 1322 when a group of twenty-six Armourers and Helmet makers was granted the right to oversee standards in the making of armour and helmets in and around the City of London. From these humble beginnings it grew in coherence and standing, and in the middle of the Wars of the Roses in 1453 was granted its first charter of incorporation by King Henry VI. In 1515 the Company absorbed the Blade makers. Its reputation was further enhanced in Henry VIII’s reign by an increase in skills which emulated those of the Greenwich armourers imported by Henry from Germany and Italy. By Elizabeth I’s reign, the Company was accepted as equal to the foreign armour makers.

In times of peace the Company had diversified into brass making and, when armour went out of use after the Restoration, it turned over to this secondary craft. In recognition of this change of direction Queen Anne granted what is now the Company’s operative charter to the Armourers and Brasiers’ Company in 1708. In the 19th Century, the brass trade moved to Birmingham and the Company lost some of its close associations but, encouraged by the City Livery Companies Commission of 1878, it held on to its association with the trade by subsidising education about and within metallurgy. In the 20th Century the Company continued and extended this association by forming the Gauntlet Trust which encourages and funds research into Materials Science. The membership of the Company reflects this interest and its finances have been organised to maximise the Company’s support.

                                                                                The Armourers’ Hall

The Armourers’ Hall is a striking Georgian building in the neo-Palladian style in Coleman Street in the heart of the City of London. An architectural jewel hidden in plain sight, it contains a host of beautiful and fascinating artefacts acquired during its long history. It is not open to the general public so Ashdown Probus Club have organised a private guided tour of the Hall.

Our tour: After tea/coffee and biscuits, the guided tour starts in the Armourers’ Gold Drawing Room where the guide gives a talk on the history of Livery Companies in general, the Armourers and Brasiers in particular and the history of armour and its role in medieval warfare. The history of the Hall, which is thought to be the oldest extant Livery Hall in the City of London (it was not damaged by the Blitz) is discussed. We will then visit each of the major rooms in turn where guidance on artefacts of particular note (portraits, armour, clocks etc.) is provided. Questions are encouraged and photographs (for personal not professional use) allowed.

The tour will last approximately 90 minutes.

Travel to London: Members are requested to make their own travel arrangements up to Cannon Street station in the City of London to arrive around 10.45 – 11.00 a.m. There are trains from both Crowborough (one an hour) and Tunbridge Wells (more frequent) some straight through to Cannon Street, others requiring a change at London Bridge. The meeting point is at the top of the exit stairs opposite the platform gates. We will then make our way to Coleman Street Lane approximately 15 minutes walk just the other side of Gresham Street. The tour starts at 11.30 a.m. with tea/coffee and biscuits and lasts approximately 90 minutes. Afterwards we’ll find a conveniently situated City pub (t.b.a.) for lunch.

£ 20.00 per person (plus personal travel and lunch costs)

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Booking and Payment deadline*: Friday 2nd August 2024

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