Some time ago I was either told or I read something about the Wicker, and I'm not totally convinced it is/was true. The reason why the Wicker is so wide is that in the late middle ages it was used for archery practice, and as time moved on, and buildings appeared it kept it's width. Is there any truth in this story?

The wicker is built on an ancient trackway dating back to anglian times.

It used to be called Assembly Green it was an open meadowland the freemen of Hallamshire would muster there annually with horses and arms and they did indeed do archery there.

The last time this happened was 1715, so maybe there is some truth in it.

It was also the first site of a peoples court.

The wicker is built on an ancient trackway dating back to anglian times.

It used to be called Assembly Green it was an open meadowland the freemen of Hallamshire would muster there annually with horses and arms and they did indeed do archery there.

The last time this happened was 1715, so maybe there is some truth in it.

It was also the first site of a peoples court.

Hang on, its still used for target practice but these days they use guns.

The Wicker is still undeveloped in this map (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/Shef1736.jpg) from 1736. It was even wider back then.

Cheers for the map Pawa, it does seem that the story I read / heard was true then.

i was always led to believe that the wicker was named for the wicker butts that the archers used for targets.incidently,its still statute that every male must practice archery every sunday.

Some time ago I was either told or I read something about the Wicker, and I'm not totally convinced it is/was true. The reason why the Wicker is so wide is that in the late middle ages it was used for archery practice, and as time moved on, and buildings appeared it kept it's width. Is there any truth in this story?

The 'town butts' in the Wicker were used as late as ~1600, archery practice was compulsory until around that time.

The width was probably down to the need to maintain a large enough space for the 'Assembly', which was essentially the muster of the Lord of the Manor's private army. For every mounted man there would probably be a couple of others to carry his gear.

I've seen it suggested that the name derives from the cottage industry of wickerwork that arose on the bank of the river where there would be a plentiful supply of reeds and willow for the job.

I've seen it suggested that the name derives from the cottage industry of wickerwork that arose on the bank of the river where there would be a plentiful supply of reeds and willow for the job.I thought that as well, that it was named for the abundance of willows that grew along the river banks.

This whole area of Sheffield must have been really beautiful before the Industrial Revolution.

Yes, nice to look at.

Except that there was no proper sewage, drinking water had to be drawn from a well that might or might not be contaminated with stuff I'd rather not think about and lots of people kept a pig in their back yard that was allowed to roam the town feeding off all the crap that people threw out into the street.

And the respectable types probably had a bath and changed their kecks every Whitsuntide....but a lot didn't bother :D

Yes, nice to look at.

Except that there was no proper sewage, drinking water had to be drawn from a well that might or might not be contaminated with stuff I'd rather not think about and lots of people kept a pig in their back yard that was allowed to roam the town feeding off all the crap that people threw out into the street.

And the respectable types probably had a bath and changed their kecks every Whitsuntide....but a lot didn't bother :DOh well, if you're going to bring the perils of dirty humans despoiling the landscape into it ... :D

i was always led to believe that the wicker was named for the wicker butts that the archers used for targets.incidently,its still statute that every male must practice archery every sunday.

I'd heard too that was the origin of the name Wicker.


It is unfortunately not still statute as it was repeeled with all the other ancient laws in the 60's.

Myself, however, do practice archery every Sunday but not with a longbow!

Hang on, its still used for target practice but these days they use guns.

I have to say this does make me chuckle! :hihi:

Im a medieval historical re enactor who has been brought up in Sheffield and have heard two stories about why the Wicker is referred to as "the Wicker", they are both mentioned here...

The slightly less plausible is that good wicker for basket weaving was found here. As a fact it is likely to be very true. All the drainage for the Sheffield castle and upper town would have run into the water here and any plants here would have been well fertilised :gag:(it still smells bad today if your ever by the bridge between Castle market and the Wicker, due to natural drainage properties) and the water may have been alot slower moving as it wouldn’t be as well channelled as what it is now. I just dont think this is the main reason for the naming as they would be allot of suitable water plants across the river at other not so distant locations and very few locals would be concerned naming this area after a resource used by just a few artisans.

The wide open space for archery is far more plausible and during the 14-15th centaury archers could have been "clout shooting" at ranges of around 200yards (shooting up in the air to let arrows fall on top of the target in great numbers, at least 12 a minute from just one archer) and the people practicing would have aloud alot of room for the arrows to fall in.

It would be interesting if someone could source the loacation of a slope or mound in this area, the height of a man or higher, existing dureing the mid-late medevil age. This is likely to be a back drop to any targets to stop the occasional missed arrow shooting off to far and hitting an unintentional target. Im not sugesting the medevil folk had health and safety in mind but they will have wanted to reduce damage to arrows as they wont have had the money to spare on these reasonably expensive objects (in the 15th centaury 24 arrows cost a whole days wages its recounted!)

Well my guess of 1600 as the end of archery practice in the Wicker was wrong. The last recorded charge in the Burgery accounts for 'repairing the buttes in the Wicker' occurred in 1642. The Burgery also maintained a single long bow for which there is the occasional charge of one penny for the re-stringing thereof.

As to the origin of the name, A. H. Smith gives the earliest local record as 1379 'atte Vikerres' interpreted as 'at the vikers' - 'vikir' being the old Norse for willow, - becoming 'wicker' in middle English.

There's no doubt that willow was cultivated for centuries to make basket ware for domestic and industrial/commercial use. In the 16th. century ironstone and charcoal were transported locally in wicker panniers slung over the backs of mules and ponies to the blast furnace at Wadsley and then the iron carried from Wadsley to the forge at Attercliffe.

Well my guess of 1600 as the end of archery practice in the Wicker was wrong. The last recorded charge in the Burgery accounts for 'repairing the buttes in the Wicker' occurred in 1642. The Burgery also maintained a single long bow for which there is the occasional charge of one penny for the re-stringing thereof.

As to the origin of the name, A. H. Smith gives the earliest local record as 1379 'atte Vikerres' interpreted as 'at the vikers' - 'vikir' being the old Norse for willow, - becoming 'wicker' in middle English.

There's no doubt that willow was cultivated for centuries to make basket ware for domestic and industrial/commercial use. In the 16th. century ironstone and charcoal were transported locally in wicker panniers slung over the backs of mules and ponies to the blast furnace at Wadsley and then the iron carried from Wadsley to the forge at Attercliffe.

Well it makes sense practiceing up to the 17th centuary, over a quatre of missile troops at the start of royalist vs roundheads civil war, were still equiped with longbows.