Worshipful Company of Armourers and Brasiers
Encyclopedia
The Worshipful Company of Armourers and Brasiers
is one of the Livery Companies
of the City of London
. The Armourers' Guild was established in 1322; it received a Royal Charter
in 1453. Other Companies, including the Armour Repairers, merged with the Armourers. In 1708, brass workers joined the Company, which was renamed as the Armourers' and Brasiers' Company. The Company does support the metallurgy industry, but does not retain a close association with its original trade, as is the case with a majority of Livery Companies. It exists primarily as a charitable establishment.
The Company is based at Armourers' Hall, situated on the corner of Coleman Street
and London Wall
, and has occupied this same site since 1346. The Hall was one of the very few to escape destruction in the Great Fire of London
in 1666. In 1795, the Hall was enlarged, but it was decided in 1839 to rebuild it completely. The lantern, or dome, of the Livery Hall was added in 1872. On 29 December 1940, during a major blitz on London, the surrounding area was devastated, but again the Hall survived.
The Armourers' and Brasiers' Company ranks twenty-second in the order of precedence
of Livery Companies. The Company's motto is We Are One.
Brass
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin...
is one of the Livery Companies
Livery Company
The Livery Companies are 108 trade associations in the City of London, almost all of which are known as the "Worshipful Company of" the relevant trade, craft or profession. The medieval Companies originally developed as guilds and were responsible for the regulation of their trades, controlling,...
of the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
. The Armourers' Guild was established in 1322; it received a Royal Charter
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
in 1453. Other Companies, including the Armour Repairers, merged with the Armourers. In 1708, brass workers joined the Company, which was renamed as the Armourers' and Brasiers' Company. The Company does support the metallurgy industry, but does not retain a close association with its original trade, as is the case with a majority of Livery Companies. It exists primarily as a charitable establishment.
The Company is based at Armourers' Hall, situated on the corner of Coleman Street
Coleman Street
Coleman Street is a street and one of the 25 ancient wards in the City of London.- The Ward :Warren Stormes Hale, Lord Mayor of London in 1864, was the Ward’s most notable civic dignitary...
and London Wall
London Wall
London Wall was the defensive wall first built by the Romans around Londinium, their strategically important port town on the River Thames in what is now the United Kingdom, and subsequently maintained until the 18th century. It is now the name of a road in the City of London running along part of...
, and has occupied this same site since 1346. The Hall was one of the very few to escape destruction in the Great Fire of London
Great Fire of London
The Great Fire of London was a major conflagration that swept through the central parts of the English city of London, from Sunday, 2 September to Wednesday, 5 September 1666. The fire gutted the medieval City of London inside the old Roman City Wall...
in 1666. In 1795, the Hall was enlarged, but it was decided in 1839 to rebuild it completely. The lantern, or dome, of the Livery Hall was added in 1872. On 29 December 1940, during a major blitz on London, the surrounding area was devastated, but again the Hall survived.
The Armourers' and Brasiers' Company ranks twenty-second in the order of precedence
Order of precedence
An order of precedence is a sequential hierarchy of nominal importance of items. Most often it is used in the context of people by many organizations and governments...
of Livery Companies. The Company's motto is We Are One.