THE ENGLISH LONGBOW: ORIGINS

It won fame and victory on the battlefields of the Hundred Years’ War (1337-1453), turned into a sporting device during the Renaissance, in the 19th century conquered the US, and is still being used and admired all around the world today: the English longbow has a long, rich history to look back on with pride. But what do we actually know about its origins and historical development – and what is it that makes a longbow English?

Bows began to play a greater role in English military strategy in the 13th century, being used in increasing numbers in campaigns against the Welsh and the Scots. At about the same time, it also made more frequent appearances in stories and ballads, such as the earliest tales of Robin Hood, as the weapon of choice for the proud, sturdy yeomen, and in illuminated manuscripts and other works of art. The Hundred Years’ War against France then marked its heyday