How was the English longbow made?

The preferred material to make the longbow was yew, although ash, elm and other woods were also used. The traditional construction of a longbow consists of drying the yew wood for 1 to 2 years, then slowly working the wood into shape, with the entire process taking up to four years.

How was the medieval longbow made?

The longbow shaft was cut from the area of the yew tree where the heartwood (the inside part of the tree) and the sapwood (the outer part of the tree) meet. The shaft was then seasoned for three to four years before being used. The bow also needed a string to shoot the arrow.

What were British longbows made of?

English yew tree
The English longbow, made of wood from the English yew tree (Taxus baccata), became famous in legend and history for the victories it won over the French at the battles of Crécy, Poitiers, and Agincourt during the Hundred Years’ War.

What was the draw weight of a medieval longbow?

A six-foot bow made of yew wood, the English longbow had a draw weight of between 80 and 150 pounds, an effective range of up to 350 yards. The heavy war arrows used were able to penetrate all but the very best steel plate armor of the medieval period.

When did the English first use longbows?

The English longbow was the most important English military invention of the 1300s and it changed the political face of Europe forever. The longbow was invented by the Celts in Wales around 1180 C.E. but was not really used by the English military until the 1300s.

Did English Longbowmen carry swords?

Typically, the English and Welsh longbowmen wore a visorless metal cap or helmet called a bascinet, a padded coat called a gambeson, and carried both a sword and a dagger in addition to a longbow and some arrows. Usually, quantities of arrows were made available to them before battle from supply wagons.

How powerful is an English longbow?

English longbows were powerful. You may have already assumed that but it’s hard to emphasise just how powerful they were. If you have ever had a go at archery before, you’ll be familiar with Olympic bows. They tend to have a reasonable “poundage” of about 50lbs, meaning it requires 50lbs of force to draw the bow.

Were the English Longbowmen a professional soldier?

This pseudo-feudal arrangement fueled a class of semi-professional soldiers who were mostly inhabitants from around the estates of the lords and the kings. And among these retainers, the most skilled were the longbowmen of the household.