The Royal Armouries is the United Kingdom's national collection of arms and armour. Once an important part of England's military organization, it became the United Kingdom's oldest museum, and one of the oldest museums in the world.[1][2] It is also one of the largest collections of arms and armour in the world, comprising the UK's National Collection of Arms and Armour, National Artillery Collection, and National Firearms Collection. Originally housed in the Tower of London from the 15th century, today the collection is split across three sites: the Tower, the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds, and Fort Nelson near Portsmouth[3]
The Royal Armouries is one of the ancient institutions of the Tower of London and was originally engaged in the manufacture of armour for the Kings of England and their armies. The Office of the Armoury grew out of the department known as the King's Privy Wardrobe at the Tower of London in the mid-15th century. Overseen from 1423 by the Master of the King's Armour, and based in the White Tower, the Office was responsible for manufacturing armour and edged weapons for the monarch and his armies; it functioned alongside the Office of Ordnance, which had responsibility for firearms.[5]
The Armoury oversaw storehouses and workshops at Woolwich and Portsmouth, and at various royal palaces (most notably the Greenwich Armoury, which specialized in richly decorated ceremonial armour). In 1545, it is recorded that a visiting foreign dignitary paid to view the Armoury collection at the Tower of London. By the time of Charles II, there was a permanent public display there; the "Spanish Armoury" which included instruments of torture and the "Line of Kings"—a row of wooden effigies representing the kings of England. This makes it the first museum in Britain.[6]
The influence of the Armoury began to wane as traditional weapons gave way increasingly to firearms in the field of war. In the 1620s, swords, lances and items of armour were still used in battle, but for the most part were being issued by the Office of Ordnance (which was becoming a sizeable department of State) rather than by the Armoury. The latter, however, remained staffed and operational until 1671, when it was finally absorbed by the Ordnance Board; the board continued to maintain, and indeed expanded, the Armoury as a museum.[5]
The Tower was engaged in the development, manufacture and storage of a wide variety of weaponry until the Board of Ordnance was abolished in 1855. Thereafter the historic armoury collection remained. Only a small part of this could be displayed, however, and in 1995, much of the artillery collection was moved to Fort Nelson in Hampshire and the following year a new Royal Armouries Museum was opened in Leeds.[7] The remaining part of the collection relates directly to the Tower.
The head of the Royal Armouries is known as the Master of the Armouries. This was an ancient office that was revived in 1935 when the Royal Armouries became a national museum.[8] The current Director General and Master of the Armouries is Nat Edwards.[9]
Master of the Armouryedit
The Master of the Armoury was responsible for maintaining a store of armour and weapons for use in the event of war and had an office in the Tower of London. The first use of the title was in 1462.
The Royal Armouries formerly published the Royal Armouries Yearbook. In 2004, that was superseded by Arms & Armour, a twice-yearly peer-reviewed scholarly journal.[21][22]
Referencesedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Royal Armouries.
^. Royal Armouries. 22 January 2018. Archived from the original on 22 February 2021. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
^"RA Venues wins four-year contract for Royal Armouries museum". The Caterer. 11 February 2020. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
^"Royal Armouries official website - About Us". Retrieved 8 October 2009.
^"Frazier Museum returns British armor". The Courier-Journal. 24 October 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
^ abStewart, Richard W. (1996). The English Ordnance Office 1585–1625. Woodbridge, Suffolk: Boydell Press.
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The Royal Armouries is the United Kingdom s national collection of arms and armour Once an important part of England s military organization it became the United Kingdom s oldest museum and one of the oldest museums in the world 1 2 It is also one of the largest collections of arms and armour in the world comprising the UK s National Collection of Arms and Armour National Artillery Collection and National Firearms Collection Originally housed in the Tower of London from the 15th century today the collection is split across three sites the Tower the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds and Fort Nelson near Portsmouth 3 Royal ArmouriesNon departmental public body overviewFormed1983 41 years ago JurisdictionUnited KingdomHeadquartersLeedsNon departmental public body executivesJohn Procter ChairNat Edwards Master of the ArmouriesParent departmentDepartment for Culture Media and SportWebsiteroyalarmouries wbr org The Hall of Steel in the Royal Armouries in Leeds Gothic plate armour Royal Armouries in Leeds Part of the display at the Tower of London From 2004 to 2015 a limited selection of items was also on display in Louisville Kentucky in the United States in cooperation with the Frazier History Museum 4 Contents 1 History 2 Master of the Armouries 2 1 Master of the Armoury 2 2 Master of the Armouries 3 Publications 4 References 5 External linksHistory editThe Royal Armouries is one of the ancient institutions of the Tower of London and was originally engaged in the manufacture of armour for the Kings of England and their armies The Office of the Armoury grew out of the department known as the King s Privy Wardrobe at the Tower of London in the mid 15th century Overseen from 1423 by the Master of the King s Armour and based in the White Tower the Office was responsible for manufacturing armour and edged weapons for the monarch and his armies it functioned alongside the Office of Ordnance which had responsibility for firearms 5 The Armoury oversaw storehouses and workshops at Woolwich and Portsmouth and at various royal palaces most notably the Greenwich Armoury which specialized in richly decorated ceremonial armour In 1545 it is recorded that a visiting foreign dignitary paid to view the Armoury collection at the Tower of London By the time of Charles II there was a permanent public display there the Spanish Armoury which included instruments of torture and the Line of Kings a row of wooden effigies representing the kings of England This makes it the first museum in Britain 6 nbsp Fort Nelson the Artillery Hall gallery The influence of the Armoury began to wane as traditional weapons gave way increasingly to firearms in the field of war In the 1620s swords lances and items of armour were still used in battle but for the most part were being issued by the Office of Ordnance which was becoming a sizeable department of State rather than by the Armoury The latter however remained staffed and operational until 1671 when it was finally absorbed by the Ordnance Board the board continued to maintain and indeed expanded the Armoury as a museum 5 The Tower was engaged in the development manufacture and storage of a wide variety of weaponry until the Board of Ordnance was abolished in 1855 Thereafter the historic armoury collection remained Only a small part of this could be displayed however and in 1995 much of the artillery collection was moved to Fort Nelson in Hampshire and the following year a new Royal Armouries Museum was opened in Leeds 7 The remaining part of the collection relates directly to the Tower The National Heritage Act 1983 established the Armouries as a non departmental public body now sponsored by the Department for Culture Media and Sport Master of the Armouries editThe head of the Royal Armouries is known as the Master of the Armouries This was an ancient office that was revived in 1935 when the Royal Armouries became a national museum 8 The current Director General and Master of the Armouries is Nat Edwards 9 Master of the Armoury edit The Master of the Armoury was responsible for maintaining a store of armour and weapons for use in the event of war and had an office in the Tower of London The first use of the title was in 1462 1462 1485 Sir Richard Guildford 1485 1506 also Master of the Ordnance 10 Sir Edward Guildford 1506 1533 10 Sir John Dudley 1533 1544 10 Thomas Darcy 1st Baron Darcy of Chiche 1544 1553 10 Sir Richard Southwell 1554 1559 also Master of the Ordnance 10 Sir George Howard 1560 1580 10 Sir Henry Lee 1580 1611 10 Sir Thomas Monson 1st Baronet 1611 1616 11 William Legge 1636 1646 Robert Spaven 1647 1648 12 Anthony Nicholl 1648 1658 13 William Legge restored to office 1660 1670 Office abolished in 1671 Master of the Armouries edit Charles John Ffoulkes 1935 1938 14 Sir James Mann 1938 1962 15 Arthur Richard Dufty 1963 1976 16 Alexander Vesey Bethune Nick Norman 1977 1988 17 Guy Wilson 1988 2002 18 Paul Evans 2003 2008 19 Lieutenant General Jonathon Riley 2009 2012 Edward Impey 2013 2022 Nat Edwards 2022 present 20 Publications editThe Royal Armouries formerly published the Royal Armouries Yearbook In 2004 that was superseded by Arms amp Armour a twice yearly peer reviewed scholarly journal 21 22 References edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Royal Armouries Government invests in Leeds Royal Armouries Museum acquiring catering and events arm to unify operations at major Yorkshire tourist attraction Royal Armouries 22 January 2018 Archived from the original on 22 February 2021 Retrieved 11 March 2019 RA Venues wins four year contract for Royal Armouries museum The Caterer 11 February 2020 Retrieved 11 February 2020 Royal Armouries official website About Us Retrieved 8 October 2009 Frazier Museum returns British armor The Courier Journal 24 October 2014 Retrieved 24 January 2017 a b Stewart Richard W 1996 The English Ordnance Office 1585 1625 Woodbridge Suffolk Boydell Press Tower of London Retrieved 29 September 2010 Royal Armouries Library London Royal Armouries and Office of Ordnance Archived from the original on 15 March 2012 Retrieved 29 September 2010 Royal Armouries and Office of Ordnance AIM25 September 2003 Archived from the original on 15 March 2012 Retrieved 18 February 2016 Director General and Master of the Armouries Royal Armouries Retrieved 18 February 2016 a b c d e f g Thompson Sue Sir Henry Lee 1533 1611 Elizabethan Courtier Brock D Heywood The Ben Jonson Encyclopedia p 322 Journals of the House of Lords Volume 9 p 640 Journals of the House of Lords Volume 10 p 470 Royal Armouries Library London Archived from the original on 30 June 2016 Retrieved 26 May 2016 Gloucester Citizen 6 December 1938 Obituary A R Dufty The Independent 6 November 1993 Retrieved 26 May 2016 Mazanski Cyril British Basket hilted Swords A Typology of Basket type Sword Hilts p dedication WILSON Guy Murray Who s Who 2016 Oxford University Press November 2015 Retrieved 18 February 2016 Small Jeremy 20 October 2008 Museum boss quits The York Press Retrieved 18 February 2016 Stephens Simon 26 July 2022 Royal Armouries appoints director general Museums Association News Retrieved 1 August 2022 Arms and Armour Journal of the Royal Armouries Weapons History Journal 18 January 2017 Retrieved 19 August 2020 Arms amp Armour Taylor amp Francis Retrieved 19 August 2020 External links editMap all coordinates using OpenStreetMap Download coordinates as KML GPX all coordinates GPX primary coordinates GPX secondary coordinates Royal Armouries official website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Royal Armouries amp oldid 1217604975 Master of the Armouries, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
