The earliest-known reference to a Royal Fletcher in the Tower of London is 1329.  King Henry V appointed the fletcher Nicholas Mynot to the role of Keeper of the King’s Arrows in the Tower in 1414; he was paid 6d per day, a large wage at the time, especially as he received a new livery (outfit) every year and lodgings in the Tower itself.

More recently, the Bowyers and the Fletchers have held a joint shoot in the moat of the Tower of London every summer since 1991.  Volunteers from the London Archers ensure everything runs smoothly and recently the event has been followed by a buffet supper in the Fusiliers’ Mess within the Tower.  The prize for the best team is the Governor’s Trophy, a small wooden box purported to be a replica of the arrow box in which Anne Boleyn was buried (see item Boleyn Box).