The English longbow is a very specific type of bow, being slender, long, and deeply cored to the tune of 5 thick:8 wide, with a very rounded belly. The English probably chose this design for several reasons. First, many more bows can be made from a tree if they are narrow vs. wide. This is important when staves must be imported. Second, narrow, round bellied bows come to tiller more quickly than bows of more flat cross-section...also of importance when mass production for war is of concern. Next, deep cored, round bellied bows may be safer to shoot in heavier weights over flat bows, tending to take on some set instead of blowing apart if overstressed. Finally, thick limbs have an advantage of being less sensitive to different arrow weights compared to other designs. The tradeoff is that the English longbow design is generally not a very efficient one for arrow speed due to the long limbs. Though yew, from which most ELB's were made, is very lightweight compared to other woods and probably isn't affected as much in terms of speed by the design. Certainly, the design suited the Englishman's needs very well.

Yew bows recovered from the Mary Rose, which sunk in the English channel in the 16th century, were frequently 80+" long and drew to weights of 180# based on dimensional interpolation. Attempts were made to string and draw several of these bows. Many broke, but a few were actually able to withstand the stresses...amazing for wood bows submerged in salt water for 450 years.

Arrows were typically constructed of ash, measuring around 30" long by 1/2" in diameter. Many were barrel tapered to improve recovery from paradox around the 1-1/8" to 1-1/4" wide grip. They ranged in weight quite a bit and were outfitted with various point types for different purposes. Imagine the effects of 1500 grain arrows showering down on enemy troops from archers poised over 200 yards away, or from 300 or 400 yards when lighter arrows were used!

The English were conditioned from a young age to shoot such heavy bows. Examination of archers' skeletons found on medival battlefields show assymetrical bone structures from their years of pulling such heavy bows. It's likely these heavy bows took a toll on the physical well being of those men in their later years.

Here are two interesting articles on war bows being studied by Pip Bickerstaffe, an authority on English longbows, in England. Pip also has a book published by the way, titled, "Heritage of the Longbow". It's an excellent detail of what the English longbow is, as well as to how it is constructed. Absolute master craftsmanship is required to tiller these heavy bows properly so the archer isn't showered with splinters upon drawing wood that is so highly stressed.

http://www.primitivearcher.com/articles/warbow.html

http://www.primitivearcher.com/articles/warbow2.html

Here are some excellent examples of yew English longbows being made today.

http://www.selfbow.com/self.html

Here is a picture of one of my own English longbows under constrution...a measley 60#-er. <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

http://community.webshots.com/script...ecurity=snxQQF



Edited by - AK on 02/04/2003 20:43:55