Our Camp

Silver Arrow Bowmen

Archers formerly of the retinue of William FitzAlan, 16th Earl of Arundel (23 November 1417 – 1487).

William was a son of John FitzAlan, 13th Earl of Arundel and Eleanor Berkeley. His mother was a daughter of John Berkeley and Elizabeth Betteshorne, granddaughter of Thomas de Berkeley, 3rd Baron Berkeley and his second wife Catherine Clivedon.

His elder brother John FitzAlan, 14th Earl of Arundel died on June 12, 1435. The title passed to his nephew Humphrey FitzAlan, 15th Earl of Arundel who was still a six-year-old with no descendants. William thus became his heir presumptive. He succeeded him on 24 April 1438.

The new Earl married Joan Neville. Joan was a daughter of Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury and Alice Montagu, Countess of Salisbury. Alice was a daughter of Thomas Montacute, 4th Earl of Salisbury and Eleanor Holland. Eleanor was a daughter of Thomas Holland, 2nd Earl of Kent and Alice FitzAlan. Alice was a daughter of Richard FitzAlan, 10th Earl of Arundel and Eleanor of Lancaster.

William and Joan had five children:

· Thomas FitzAlan, 17th Earl of Arundel (1450 – 1524).

· William FitzAlan. An alleged maternal ancestor of Thomas Stucley.

· George FitzAlan.

· John FitzAlan.

· Mary FitzAlan.

· Thomas FitzAlan.

William fought in the Second Battle of St Albans (22 February 1461) as a supporter of the House of York. The Yorkists were commanded by his brother-in-law Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick. They succeeded in capturing Henry VI of England.

Edward IV of England named him a Knight of the Garter in 1471, probably in honor of his support during the Wars of the Roses.

Peter Grand

Paul is Karen’s husband and is looking forward to his first battle.Paul is a Site Manager at a local school.  Paul  shoots longbow and recurve in GNAS competitions for Silver Arrow Archers. Paul is multi skilled and able to turn his hand to most things including metal work, carpentry and even sewing. Great asset to our camp.

Karen is Pauls’s wife and will soon be joining us on he battlefield. Karen works in a local school and shoots her longbow in GNAS competitions for Silver Arrow Archers . Karen is best described as the camps ‘MUM’

Sue is Peter’s wife and is also known as BOB when she joins the rest of the crew on the battlefield. Sue owns Silver Arrow Archery, a traditional archers store and shoots her longbow and recurve in GNAS competitions for Silver Arrow Archers and field competitions for Whitemark Bowmen. Sue is the calm one in our group rarely getting flustered. Sue won the archery competition at Herstmonceux Castle (Monday) with a magnificent display of archery.

Paul Hanson

Karen Hanson

Sue Matthews

Peter is Sues husband and the impatient one in the group who likes everything done yesterday. Peter owns Grand Affairs Group, an entertainment based company that includes an industry magazine, trade show  and archery based companies. Peter shoots longbow in GNAS competitions for Silver Arrow Archers and field competitions for Whitemark Bowmen. Peter is also the camps ‘Barber Surgeon’ and attends to the needs of the camps injured much to the delight of most of his audiences