We are sure that many Tottenham fans will be aware that the name ‘Hotspur’ originates from Harry Hotspur who was a brave and courageous character whose name appeared in one of Shakespeare’s plays. Harry Hotspur or ‘Lord Percy’ was also the son of the Duke of Northumberland who once held considerable estates in Tottenham,

However, few people will be aware that Tottenham has had an association with ‘Spurs’ that long precedes the founding of the football club.  Last year I purchased an old book dating from 1792 titled 'The History and Antiquities of Tottenham High Cross in the County of Middlesex' .

The cover page claims this information has been collected from authentic records with a copious appendix, in which is contained an account of the parish as written by the Rt Hon. HENRY, last LORD COLERANE accurately printed from his Lordship's ms, now deposited in the Bodleian Library at Oxford. Ironically the book is dedicated to the Duke of Northumberland and Earl Percy and was written by Richard Randall Dyson. Immediately inside the front cover of the book is an illustration plate headed 'Antiquities of Tottenham'   (Pictured left)           which reads: ' In the foreground is emblematically represented a roll or charter; near which is a pair of Spurs, being the tenure by which the manor Tottenham is held'

It then refers you to an explanation further into the book from which I have extracted the following passage:

'There are five lesser manors which, according to Bedwell, in 1631 belonged to Lord Colerane now held by his descendent, Henry Hare Townsend esq. The names of these lordships are PEMBROKE's, BRUCE's, D'AWBENYS's, MOCKING's and DOV'COTES, or DUCKETT's. This last formerly belonged to the priory of St John of Jerusalem, and gave name to a family who occur in the Parish Register in this century. The other four are held by this service. That as often as the King goes to war in person, the Lord of them shall furnish him with a pair of silver spurs gilt'

So it would appear that under the tenures by which the ancient Manors of Tottenham are held, and dating back prior to the 15th century, there is a requirement that ‘As often as the King goes to war in person, the Lord of the Manors shall furnish him with a pair of silver SPURS gilt’. By coincidence the former manor house for the ‘Pembrokes’ lordship, one of the five former manors, was once situated in White Hart Lane.

In a later paragraph it refers to a decree by King Henry VI to those that serve him in his demeyne in Tottenham in the county of Middlesex 'and that they hold the manors of Pembroke's, as of the honor of Huntyngdon, by the service of paying to the King a pair of spurs of silver, gilt and each of the said manors etc..'

In conclusion it could be argued that, following his debut last year, the current Captain of Tottenham Hotspur ‘Ledley KING’ went into battle in person to represent England and, in keeping with the ancient tenure, should now receive from the historic manor of Tottenham a pair of silver Spurs gilt !

Alan Swain - Nov 2005

Note: These facts have been verified by Bruce Castle Museum in Tottenham and this story has now been published in the Spurs match programme versus Everton 15th October 2005