A wapenshaw or ''wapinshaw'' (from the

Old English Old English (, ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the early Middle Ages. It was brought to Great Britain by Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain, Anglo ...

for "weapon show") was originally a gathering and review of troops formerly held in every district in

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

. The object was to satisfy the military chiefs that the arms of their retainers were in good condition and that the men were properly trained in their use.

Use of 'Wapenshaw' in Lawn Bowls

The term is still in use, to describe some competitions by bowling clubs in Scotland.

Use of 'Wapenshaw' in Shooting

''Wapenshaw'' is also occasionally used, in Scotland and elsewhere in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

for rifle or other gun shows, particularly those involving historic weapons.Results of the Aberdeen Wapinshaw, 2013-2016
/ref>

The Woodcraft Folk

''Wapenshaw'' is also widely used in the

Woodcraft Folk Woodcraft Folk is a UK-based educational Youth organisations in the United Kingdom, movement for children and young people. Founded in 1925 and grown by volunteers, it has been a registered charity since 1965 Registered Charity since 2013. and a ...

to describe a daily ceremony when

camping Camping is an outdoor activity involving overnight stays away from home, either without shelter or using basic shelter such as a tent, or a recreational vehicle. Typically, participants leave developed areas to spend time outdoors in more nat ...

, which involves each camper removing all belongings from their tent and laying them out on a groundsheet in a fixed order. This serves two purposes: to air out the tent, and to ensure that no items have been lost.

References

{{Reflist

Use of 'Wapenshaw' in Lawn Bowls

Use of 'Wapenshaw' in Shooting

The Woodcraft Folk

References

Further reading