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By Mark Stretton Editors Note: This article was reproduced with the kind permission of its author, Mark Stretton. It is an extract from his forthcoming book full of details which will be announced soon There must have been a time when the simple skills of archery were unknown to our early humanoid ancestors, and yet […]

by Jaro Petrina Altough there are numerous written accounts on the procurement and usage of non-yew bows in medieval england – no original examples exist today. We do not know if the shape and dimensions of such a bow differed from the yew bow, to utilise the best properties of the wood, and neither do […]

The Shaft Although many types of wood where employed to make MR arrow shafts, aspen or poplar were the most common (much to Ascham’s chagrin as he preferred ash for war arrows). Therefore, poplar was used for the exemplar. However, a variety of indigenous hardwoods were obviously acceptable, as shown by the wide range found […]

There is no doubt that archery was big during medieval times. It was used in hunting, war, and as a recreational activity. When it comes to medieval archery, several topics always seem to stir a discussion. One of them is the use of blunts. While everyone agrees that blunt arrowheads were used, the question is […]

Construction and specifications, by Jeremy Spencer The EWBS Quarter Pound Arrow is a representation of a heavy military arrow used to penetrate armour. It is similar to those that were shot during the Hundred Years War. Minimum weight 1/4lb (113.4g) Nock: A horn reinforced self-nock (reinforcement approximately 2”). A slot depth of around ¼” is […]

There is something fascinating about making your own longbow. Or even learning how longbows are made if you are not a DIY kind of person. One of the most interesting aspects of this process is choosing the wood. Many people will tell you that yew and Osage orange are the best woods for making a […]

Archery was prevalent in the Middle Ages. And the archers back then had insane skills. There are reports that a skilled longbowman could fire 10 to 12 arrows per minute, for 3 to 5 minutes straight. Can you believe that?  It took a lot of training to achieve this level of expertise though. One of […]

Back in the day, the longbow was a serious war and hunting weapon. Some people have even described the English longbow as the “machine gun of the medieval era”. The draw weight ranged from 80 pounds to as high as 150 pounds. A powerful bow like that needed a heavy arrow—like the Standard Arrow. The […]

In modern archery, the fletchings of arrows can be attached using numerous high-strength adhesives such as cyanoacrylate glues (superglue) or fletching tape and the need for binding them in place is removed. In the Middle Ages however, fletchings were attached either by wax or glue made from natural components and as such were likely to […]