Allington Castle Archers is an open club and is one of the longest-established Archery clubs in Kent and the south east. The club was formed in 1969 and was based at Allington Castle. It has a large active membership covering all the bow types available recurve, compound, longbow and barebow.
As you will realise, the club celebrated its 50th year in 2019.
The Medieval shoot was held on Monday 6th of May 2019, and was said to be a lot of fun, and the Whitefriars – a UK record status shoot comprising the rounds of St. George, Albion & Windsor, was held on Sunday 18th of August 2019, on the Archers field at Allington Castle
The club focuses mainly on target archery, with some members going to field shoots that are held around the country. There are several coaches among the membership that can, upon request, assist fellow archers develop their skills. There is a wealth of experience in the club, with a number of very active archers – archers new to the area and beginners are welcome to enquire about membership.
We shoot outdoors all year round on weekends, and on Tuesday and Thursday evenings in the summer, on the evenings when we are able to book the venue, we also shoot indoors during the winter months.
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Club History
It seems only a few years ago that we were celebrating our 30th birthday. But now, it is fifty years since that small band of archers started the whole thing off in 1969. Our first venue was the talk of the south-east, in the Allington Castle grounds on the banks of the Medway. The backdrop to the targets did not get better than a castle Henry the VIII stayed in, and we enjoyed 364 days per year dawn-till-dusk shooting rights for 20 years.
Unfortunately we had to move as the owners decided to sell. Our current field is Westborough Primary School. Although not as grand a venue we have excellent shooting rights here – more or less any time that the children are not in school. No archer is allowed to shoot alone.
Indoor shooting during the winter is run at the Lockmeadow Hall off Hart Street and the club enters the British Archer Portsmouth and Frostbite competitions.
The membership includes all ages from 11 to 70ish. Our juniors Club is expanding and overall membership has risen over the last 2 years. The current total membership is 75.
Within that membership all archery disciplines are covered from recurve, compound and longbow. Target, field shooting, clout, popinjay and re-enactment, although only target archery is allowed on the club field.
Some of the members are also members of the Medieval Society and the Medieval Siege Society.
The range of experience in the club is vast and includes
1 County coach
3 Level 2 coaches
1 Level 1 coach
Many other members with 25+ years shooting history.