English longbow facts for kids
The English longbow was a very powerful bow used in medieval times. It was usually about 1.8 meters (6 feet) long. People used it for both hunting and war. By the 1300s, both the English and Welsh used this amazing weapon.
The English longbow was very successful against the French. This happened during the Hundred Years' War. Famous victories include the Battle of Sluys (1340) and the Battle of Crécy (1346). Other key battles were Poitiers (1356) and Agincourt (1415).
Later, the longbow was not always as successful. For example, at the Battle of Patay (1429), archers were defeated. This happened because they didn't have time to set up their defenses.
It's rare to find longbows from the main medieval period (around 1250–1450). Bows often broke or wore out. However, many bows from the Renaissance period still exist. Over 3,500 arrows and 137 longbows were found on the Mary Rose. This was a ship from Henry VIII's navy. It sank in 1545 near Portsmouth.
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The Mighty English Longbow
What Was the English Longbow?
The longbow was a special kind of bow. It had to be long enough for an archer to pull the string back to their face or body. This meant its length changed depending on the person using it.
How Long Were These Bows?
In Europe, any bow longer than 1.2 meters (4 feet) was often called a longbow. Experts from the Society of Antiquaries of London say they were usually 1.5 to 1.8 meters (5 to 6 feet) long. The bows found on the Mary Rose ship were even longer. They ranged from 1.87 to 2.11 meters (6 feet 2 inches to 6 feet 11 inches). Their average length was about 1.98 meters (6 feet 6 inches).
How Strong Were Longbows?
The "draw weight" is how much force is needed to pull the bowstring back. Medieval longbows were incredibly strong. Some experts thought they needed 400 to 490 Newtons (90 to 110 pounds of force). But bows found on the Mary Rose were even stronger. They needed about 670 to 710 Newtons (150 to 160 pounds of force)!
Modern longbows are usually much lighter. They need 270 Newtons (60 pounds of force) or less. It took a lot of practice to use these powerful medieval bows. Boys and men trained from a young age. They started with smaller bows and moved to bigger ones as they grew stronger. This training helped them learn to use their whole body to draw the bow.
Making a Longbow: Materials and Craft
Longbows were carefully crafted weapons.
The Bow's Wood: Yew and Other Trees
The best wood for a longbow was yew. Other strong woods like ash and elm were also used. Making a yew longbow was a long process. The wood had to dry for one to two years. Then, it was slowly shaped over several years.
The bow stave (the main part of the bow) had a special "D" shape. The outer part, called sapwood, was flat and handled pulling forces. The inner part, called heartwood, was rounded and resisted squeezing forces. This natural combination made the bow very strong. A water-resistant coating, like wax and resin, protected the bow.
Yew wood was so important that England imported it from far away. Laws even made ships bring yew wood to English ports. This shows how much the longbow was valued.
The Bowstring and Arrows
Bowstrings were made from strong natural materials. These included hemp, flax, or silk. They were attached to the bow with horn "nocks" at each end. Today, synthetic materials like Dacron are often used.
Archers used many types of arrows. Their length, fletching (feathers), and heads varied. For battles, thousands of arrows were made. They were usually supplied in bundles of 24.
The Mary Rose wreck gave us a treasure trove of arrows. Over 3,500 arrows were found there. Most were made of poplar wood. Their lengths ranged from 61 to 83 centimeters (24 to 33 inches). The average length was about 76 centimeters (30 inches). While the arrowheads didn't survive on the ship, other finds show common types. These included the short bodkin point and a small barbed arrow.
Using the Longbow in Battle
Becoming a Longbow Archer: Training
Learning to use a longbow well was very hard. It took great strength to shoot arrows that could pierce medieval armour. Archers needed years of practice to become skilled. Skeletons of longbow archers show how their bodies changed. They often had stronger left arms and specific bone growths.
English kings encouraged archery practice. Edward III of England declared in 1363 that everyone should practice archery on holidays. This helped the king find skilled archers for his armies. The long training needed for longbowmen eventually led to them being replaced by musketeers, who used early firearms.
How Far Could Longbows Shoot?
The distance a longbow could shoot depended on the bow and arrow. Some experts believe a professional archer's arrow could fly up to 365 meters (400 yards). In the 1500s, the longest shot recorded at a London practice ground was 315 meters (345 yards).
Modern tests confirm these ranges. A replica Mary Rose longbow, needing 667 Newtons (150 pounds of force), shot an arrow 328 meters (359 yards). Another replica bow shot an arrow 267 meters (292 yards).
In battle, archers might not shoot as far. Constant shooting was tiring. Soldiers' strength would decrease during long campaigns.
Could Arrows Pierce Armor?
Modern tests show that a strong longbow could pierce some types of mail armour. It could also penetrate thinner parts of plate armour. However, the best quality, thick plate armour was very effective. It could often stop arrows, especially if worn with extra padding.
Historians agree that well-made plate armour protected against longbows. But this didn't make longbows useless. At the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, thousands of English longbowmen helped win against French knights in plate armour. The arrows could still hit less protected areas like limbs. The French knights were also tired from walking in heavy armour through mud.
Less armoured soldiers were more vulnerable. Horses were also less protected than knights. Archers often aimed at the horses of mounted knights. This could injure the horses and disrupt enemy attacks.
How Fast Could Archers Shoot?
A military archer usually carried 60 to 72 arrows into battle. Archers would not shoot at their fastest rate all the time. This would quickly exhaust even the most experienced archer. A skilled archer might shoot about six arrows per minute with a heavy war bow.
Archers often stuck their arrows upright in the ground near their feet. This made it faster to grab, nock (place on the string), and shoot. Massed longbowmen could create a "storm" of arrows. Commanders carefully managed arrow use during battle. Young boys sometimes ran extra arrows to archers on the battlefield.
Treating Arrow Injuries
Special tools were used to treat arrow injuries in ancient times. These tools helped remove arrows. While simple arrow points were easier to remove, barbed points often needed careful cutting. Pushing an arrow all the way through the body was usually avoided. This could cause more harm.
Henry, Prince of Wales, was hit in the face by an arrow at the Battle of Shrewsbury. The royal doctor, John Bradmore, created a special tool. It was a pair of smooth tongs that could grip the arrowhead. Before removing the arrow, the doctor widened the wound. He used elder pith soaked in honey, which helped prevent infection. The wound healed after 20 days.
The Longbow's Place in History
Early Days: From Wales to England
The exact origin of the English longbow is debated. Archery was important in England even before the Norman Conquest. The Normans also used archers, as seen at the Battle of Hastings.
During the Anglo-Norman invasions of Wales, Welsh archers were very effective. They caused many problems for the invaders. Welsh archers then became a part of English armies. Giraldus Cambrensis wrote in 1188 about the strong bows of Gwent. He described an arrow that went through a knight's thigh, armour, saddle, and into his horse, killing the animal.
Historians still discuss if these early bows were the same as the later English longbow. What is clear is that a powerful system of using many longbows together was developed in the late 1200s and early 1300s. Edward I organized his armies better in 1295. He combined archers with cavalry and infantry. This tactic was used successfully at the Battle of Falkirk in 1298.
Famous Battles and Decline
The longbow was key to many English and Welsh victories. These include Battle of Crécy (1346) and Battle of Agincourt (1415) during the Hundred Years' War. Earlier successes were at Battle of Falkirk (1298) and Battle of Halidon Hill (1333).
However, the longbow became less successful later. At the Battle of Patay (1429), archers were defeated when attacked before they could set up defenses. The Battle of Castillon (1453), which ended the Hundred Years' War, was decided by French cannons.
Longbowmen needed a lot of training, which took years. This was expensive for medieval rulers. Most European armies did not train as many longbow archers. English longbowmen were often hired as mercenaries in other countries.
Longbows were used until about the 1500s. Then, firearms like arquebuses became more common. Despite this, English kings tried to keep archery practice alive. They even banned other sports. The Battle of Flodden in 1513 was one of the last major British battles where the longbow played a big part.
The last recorded use of bows in an English battle might have been in 1642. During the English Civil War, a town militia used bows against musketeers. Longbows are still made and used today for sport and hunting.
How Longbows Were Used in War
English armies in the 1300s and 1400s often used a specific battle plan.
- Foot soldiers, like dismounted knights, stood in the middle. They often carried polearms.
- Longbowmen were usually placed on the sides of the army. Sometimes they were at the front.
- Cavalry (soldiers on horseback) were used less often. They might be on the sides for attacks or in the middle as a backup.
In the 1500s, battle plans changed with new weapons. Armies had a central group of pikemen. Archers and arquebusiers (early gun users) were placed on the flanks.
Discovering Ancient Longbows
The Mary Rose shipwreck is a very important source for longbow history. Over 3,500 arrows and 137 complete longbows were found there. The ship sank in 1545. The bows ranged from 1.87 to 2.11 meters (6 feet 2 inches to 6 feet 11 inches) long. Most arrows were made of poplar wood.
The bows from the Mary Rose were in excellent condition. Tests on replicas showed they had draw forces of 445 to 823 Newtons (100 to 185 pounds of force).
Before the Mary Rose finds, only a few longbows were known to exist. One was from the Battle of Hedgeley Moor in 1464. Another was in Edinburgh, dating to the Battle of Flodden. A broken longbow in Mendlesham, Suffolk, is thought to be from the time of Henry VIII.
The Longbow's Importance in English Culture
The longbow was very important in English culture. It appears in the legends of Robin Hood, who is known as a master archer. The "Song of the Bow" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle also celebrates it.
Laws like the Assize of Arms of 1252 required many people to own weapons. Poorer citizens had to have a halberd and a knife, and a bow if they owned enough land. This made it easier for the king to raise an army. It also meant that bows were common weapons used by rebels during the Peasants' Revolt.
People in England were sometimes worried that archery skills were declining. Scholars like Roger Ascham wrote about this in the 1500s. They believed archery was important for personal growth and national safety.
It is thought that yew trees were often planted in English churchyards. This would ensure there was always wood available for making longbows.
See also
- Infantry in the Middle Ages
