Longbow
A tall self bow enabling a long draw, historically dominant in European warfare.
A longbow is a tall bow designed to allow a long draw. Across many cultures, longbows used for hunting and war have been made from various woods. In Europe, they have existed since the Paleolithic era, and from the Bronze Age onward they were primarily made from yew, or from wych elm when yew was not available. Historically, the longbow was a self bow, crafted from a single piece of wood, though modern versions can be made from synthetic materials or by laminating different types of wood together.
The oldest known European longbow was found in the Ötztal Alps in 1991, alongside the mummy known as Ötzi. That bow, made from yew and measuring 1.82 meters, dates to around 3300 BC. A slightly shorter yew bow, discovered in a peat bog at Rotten Bottom in the Scottish parish of Tweedsmuir, has been radiocarbon-dated to between 4040 BC and 3640 BC. Another yew bow, found in peat in Somerset, England, dates to 2700–2600 BC. In Denmark, forty longbows from the 4th century AD were uncovered in a peat bog at Nydam.
During the Middle Ages, the English and Welsh became famous for their powerful longbows, which they used in large numbers against the French in the Hundred Years' War, achieving notable victories at Crécy (1346), Poitiers (1356), and Agincourt (1415). Under King Edward III, laws were passed that allowed fletchers and bowyers to be conscripted into the army and required them to practice archery. The longbow’s battlefield dominance ended when the French began using cannon to break English archer formations at Formigny (1450) and Castillon (1453). Longbows continued to be used in the Wars of the Roses and remained a weapon of war in England even after effective firearms appeared. The Battle of Flodden (1513) is considered a landmark, as the last battle on English soil where the longbow was the primary weapon.
In 1588, when the militia was called up in anticipation of the Spanish Armada, many archers were included. The Kent militia, for example, had 1,662 archers out of 12,654 men. The Battle of Tippermuir (1644) in Scotland may have been the last battle in the British Isles to involve significant numbers of longbows.
The earliest known book on European longbow archery is the anonymous *L'Art D'Archerie*, produced in France in the late 15th or early 16th century.
- Earliest known example
- Ötztal Alps, around 3300 BC, made from yew, 1.82 m long
- Notable battles
- Crécy (1346), Poitiers (1356), Agincourt (1415)
- Last battle on english soil with longbow
- Battle of Flodden (1513)
- First english book on longbow archery
- Toxophilus by Roger Ascham, 1545
- Proportion definition by ilaa
- 1:0.625 rectangular template
Lore & Background
In Europe, longbows have prehistoric roots: a yew bow dating to around 3300 BC was found with the mummy Ötzi in the Ötztal Alps, and a slightly shorter yew bow from Rotten Bottom, Scotland, has a calibrated radiocarbon date of 4040–3640 BC. Another yew bow from Somerset, England, dates to 2700–2600 BC, and forty longbows from the 4th century AD were discovered at Nydam in Denmark. During the Middle Ages, English and Welsh longbowmen were famous for using very powerful longbows en masse, achieving notable success against the French at Crécy (1346), Poitiers (1356) and Agincourt (1415). Laws under Edward III allowed fletchers and bowyers to be impressed into the army and enjoined practice. The longbow's battlefield dominance waned after the French used cannon at Formigny (1450) and Castillon (1453), but it continued in the Wars of the Roses and survived well into the firearm era; the Battle of Flodden (1513) was the last battle on English soil fought with the longbow as the principal weapon. In 1588, the Kent militia included 1,662 archers out of 12,654 men mustered against the Spanish Armada. The Battle of Tippermuir (1644) in Scotland may have been the last battle in the British Isles involving the longbow in significant numbers.
Reader's Guide
The longbow's legacy extends beyond warfare into modern military equipment named after it, including the Dakota Longbow T-76 sniper rifle, the AN/APG-78 Longbow fire-control radar for the Apache attack helicopter, and the AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire missile. In recreational and hunting use, wooden or fibreglass laminated longbows continue to be used by traditional archers and some tribal societies. A longbow is usually lighter, quicker to prepare for shooting, and shoots more quietly than a modern recurve or compound bow, and it allows instinctive shooting, a fast method used in hunting or 3D Archery competitions. However, other things being equal, a modern bow shoots a faster arrow more accurately. Organisations such as the British Longbow Society and the International Longbow Archers Association have set formal definitions; the ILAA defines the bow as fitting within a rectangular template of proportions 1:0.625. The longbow's historical significance, arising from its adoption by the Welsh fighting alongside the English during the Hundred Years' War, has created a lasting legacy.
Did You Know?
- A longbow made from yew and measuring 1.82 m was found with the natural mummy Ötzi, dated to around 3300 BC.
- The first book in English about longbow archery was Toxophilus by Roger Ascham, published in 1545 and dedicated to King Henry VIII.
More in Archery, Part 2 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced