Bowmen of England

by Donald F. Featherstone

From the 12th to 15th centuries the longbow was the weapon that changed European history more than any other. In the skilled hands of English and Welsh archers it revolutionized all the medieval concepts and traditions of war. No other weapon dominated the battlefield as it did, and it was the winning factor in every major battle from Morlaix in 1342 to Patay in 1429. Donald Featherstone's study of the English longbow from its early development until the Wars of the Roses is an inspiring and authentic reconstruction in human terms in an age of courage, vitality and endurance. He provides an enthralling footnote to the history of the longbow by recording the engagement in which it was last used - in France in 1940.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Military Fiction, Military History, Medieval, British Literature, Historical

164 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

Featherstone (who sometimes used his middle initial and sometimes didn't) served in the Royal Armoured Corps in World War II before becoming a physiotherapist. He worked for Southampton Football Club and Hampshire County Cricket Club, writing books on sporting, dancing, and industrial injuries.

Later, he turned his attention to his childhood hobby of toy soldiers, writing dozens of books on the subject and becoming instrumental in the development of wargaming as a pasttime. He also wrote books on military history.

Reviews

[Chadd VanZanten · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent little book on a widely misunderstood topic.

[Jeffrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book out of boredom at a USO center in Minneapolis, MN and soon found myself completely engrossed within its pages. This book is a fascinating, insightful, and educational journey through 12th - 16th century English history and the influence the longbow had in shaping it.

[Jos Deroo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part one : the longbow and the archer. Interesting. The second part : battles where the longbow played a part. Less interesting.

[Bogdan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Folosit încă din Epoca Bronzului arcul a ajuns să domine câmpul de bătălie în special în perioada medievală. Dus la excelență de arcașii englezi, cu ajutorul acestuia s-au câștigat multe bătălii din timpului Războiului de 100 (șaisprezece) ani.
Autorul britanic, veteran al celui de-al doilea război mondial și fizioterapeut de profesie, a fost și un adevărat împătimit al jocurilor de război, puse în scenă cu miniaturi corecte dpdv istoric. De asemenea, este și autorul a câtorva cărți de istorie militară, scrise cel mai probabil din postura amatoare de cititor pasionat. De aceea prezentarea arcașilor englezi în cartea sa are un stil simplu, ușor de înțeles, fluid și ne-academic. Autorul ne descrie viața și antrenamentul standard ale unui arcaș englez de prin secolele XIII-XV, precum și câteva tipuri de arcuri și săgeți și evoluția acestora. Dar, spre mirarea mea și în ciuda titlului cărții, autorul pune accentul de fapt pe bătăliile din acea perioadă în care arcașii englezi au dominat practic armatele scoțiene și franceze. Ne sunt prezentate peste 10 bătălii medievale, cu variate grade de profunzime, dintre care le-aș aminti pe cele mai faimoase - de la Agincourt, Crecy, Poitiers, Falkirk etc. Bineînțeles, nivelul de înțelegere istoric este la nivelul anilor '60-'70, când a apărut cartea prima dată, unele idei referitoare la anumite tehnici belicoase și care țin de tirul cu arcul medieval schimbându-se între timp. Bibliografia folosită este destul de solidă pentru secolul XX, dar acum ar putea fi considerată scheletică. În același timp, tendința autorului de a aduce în discuție și opere de ficțiune istorică și a le intercala pentru a explica mai bine punctele sale de vedere nu poate decât să-i dăuneze credibilitatea de așa-zis istoric. Este, cu toate acestea, o carte scrisă cu entuziasm, despre un subiect pe care evident Featherstone îl cunoaște suficient pentru a fi pasionat și a dori să împărtășească această pasiune și cu cititorii săi.

[Rob Roy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The superweapon of medieval Europe was the English longbow. It was one of the major factors in ending feudalism, as the mounted knight ceased to be a threat and became a target. The author leads the reader through the battles where the longbow played a major role, and in doing so reveals the tactics of its use. If you are interested in medieval history, this book is a must.

[Aki Korhonen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable recounting of the English long bow

I did not learn many new facts from this book, but it was an enjoyable recounting of the military history of the long bow and it’s role in many key battles. For those not very knowledgeable in the era, I can recommend it as an index for delving into more details of the various events, each of which is covered by many a fine book.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bowmen of England
By Donald F. Featherstone
Reviewed April 7, 2023


Bowmen of England tells the story of the evolution of the English and Welsh archers and that weapon of great fame, the longbow. The longbow was the weapon that revolutionized Medieval warfare, and changed the traditions of war, although the author points out that the French were a bit slow in adjusting to this innovation, especially at places like Agincourt, and refers to that nation’s aristocracy’s “disdain for any form of co-operation between aristocratic cavalry and all other despised arms”.

The author, himself a military man, takes us through the development of the English longbow from its earliest forms through the Wars of the Roses and beyond, and even draws comparisons between these long-ago archers to those Brits who fought in later conflicts up through World War II.

I found the first half of the book, the story of the development of the longbow, more interesting than the second half, which describes the various battles in which the longbow made such an impact. I guess that’s because after a while, I felt like I was reading the same thing over and over, but that’s just me. I’m sure that other readers will find those chapters of equal interest.

Of course, I was happy to find my favorite medieval monarch get a mention or two. In the section on the Wars of the Roses, Featherstone writes. “Richard III was one of the kings who recognised the value of the archer” and goes on to write that King Richard passed a law that complained of the mendacity of the Lombard traders, who had caused inflation in the prices of imported staves from £2 per 100 staves to £8 per 100. (The dirty rotten scoundrels!)

Featherstone ends the book with the story of Captain Jack Churchill of the Manchester Regiment and how nearly 600 years after the Battle of Crécy, in May of 1940, briefly returned an archer to the ancient battlefields of France.

[Paithan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although this book can be a bit dry at times I think it is a good "shotgun blast" of English military history. Specifically if someone is looking to learn more about late medieval warfare.

[Paul A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bowmen of England is a very good introduction to the topic of English longbow archery, covering its use, manufacture, and major battles that it took part in. His summaries of the relevant engagements range from Falkirk in 1298, all the way to Flodden in 1513. Each battle is clearly explained in a narrative manner that really helps to capture the reader's attention in what is normally a very dry recitation of events.

His analyses are surprisingly up to date in regards to questions such as the efficacy of archery against armor, why longbows were replaced by firearms despite seemingly obvious advantages of the former, and so on. Overall, if you have an interest in English archery, I'd recommend this as a great place to start.

[iain meek · Rating 3 out of 5]

An amusing trawl through the history of the military use of the English archer.