English longbow

Lore & Background

The English longbow was a powerful medieval type of bow, about 6 ft long. While it is debated whether it originated in England or in Wales from the Welsh bow, by the 14th century the longbow was being used by both the English and the Welsh as a weapon of war and for hunting. English longbows were effective against the French during the Hundred Years' War, particularly in the battles of Sluys (1340), Crécy (1346), Poitiers (1356), and Agincourt (1415). They were less successful later on, as longbowmen had their lines broken at the Battle of Verneuil (1424), although the English won a decisive victory there; they were completely routed at the Battle of Patay (1429) when they were charged by the French mounted men-at-arms before they had prepared the terrain and finished defensive arrangements. The Battle of Pontvallain (1370) had also previously shown longbowmen were not particularly effective when not given the time to set up defensive positions.

No English longbows have survived from the period when the longbow was dominant (c. 1250–1450). Bows become weaker after repeated use; it is likely that bows that had become weak or broke were disposed of, rather than being repaired or handed down through generations. However, around 137 bows from the Renaissance period survive, most of them recovered with more than 3,500 arrows from the Mary Rose, a ship of Henry VIII's navy that sank at Portsmouth in 1545. The preferred material to make the longbow was yew, although ash, elm, and other hardwoods were also used. The traditional way of making a longbow requires felling the tree and drying the wood for 1 to 2 years, then slowly working it into shape, with the entire process taking up to four years. The bow stave is shaped to have a D cross-section. The outer 'back' of sapwood, approximately flat, follows the natural growth rings; modern bowyers often thin the sapwood, while in the Mary Rose bows the back of the bow was the natural surface of the wood, only the bark is removed. The inner side ('belly') of the bow stave consists of rounded heartwood. The heartwood resists compression, and the outer sapwood performs better in tension. This combination in a single piece of wood (a self bow) forms a natural 'laminate', somewhat similar in effect to the construction of a composite bow. Longbows last a long time if protected with a water-resistant coating, traditionally of 'wax, resin and fine tallow'.

Reader's Guide

The English longbow's significance lies in its role as a decisive weapon during the Hundred Years' War, particularly at Crécy, Poitiers, and Agincourt. Its effectiveness depended on high draw weights—estimated from Mary Rose examples at 100–185 lbf—and the ability of archers to deliver rapid, accurate volleys. The longbow's legacy is reflected in the extensive trade networks it created: the first documented import of yew bowstaves to England was in 1294, and by 1472 the Statute of Westminster required every ship coming to an English port to bring four bowstaves for every tun. This demand depleted yew stocks across southern Germany and Austria, leading to forestry damage and eventual exhaustion of mature trees by the late 16th century. The longbow's decline came with the rise of firearms, but its impact on military tactics and forest management remains notable. Training was arduous—skeletons of longbow archers show enlarged left arms and osteophytes on left wrists, left shoulders, and right fingers. The difficulty of use prompted English monarchs to issue instructions encouraging ownership and practice, including the Assize of Arms of 1252 and Edward III's declarations.

Did You Know?

• No English longbows have survived from the period of dominance (c. 1250–1450); most surviving examples come from the Mary Rose, which sank in 1545.
• The draw weights of Mary Rose bows are estimated at 100–185 lbf, far exceeding modern longbows which typically draw 60 lbf or less.
• The trade in yew for longbows depleted stocks so severely that by 1568 no royal monopoly could be granted because there was no yew to cut.
• Over 3,500 arrows were recovered from the Mary Rose, mainly made of poplar, ash, beech, and hazel.