History Practice for everyone
In England, the longbow was a powerful weapon, but it took years of practice to draw and aim well. So kings wanted ordinary men to train. In 1363, King Edward III ordered that men practice archery on holidays instead of playing games like football.
Towns and villages set up butts: mounds of earth or banks of straw with targets in front. Many English towns still have a street or field called the Butts.
History The longbow
A longbow was made from a single piece of wood, often yew, and was about as tall as the archer. Pulling it back took great strength, and the skeletons of archers sometimes show bigger bones in one arm from years of practice.
Art In this artwork
The round straw targets, rack of bows and covered stand are the artist's design.
Look closer
- Find the targets.
- Where are the bows kept?
Think about it
- Why would a king order people to practice instead of play?
- Which sports or skills take years of practice?
- Are there street names in your town that tell you what once happened there?
Key words
- Butts
- Mounds with targets for archery practice.
- Longbow
- A tall bow made from one piece of wood.
- Yew
- A tree whose wood is strong and springy.
Sources
The history on this page is a short summary based on these sources:
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, "Longbow"
- King Edward III's order of 1363 that men in England practice archery on holidays
