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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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longbow
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A form of bow, probably developed in Wales in the 12C, which gave a distinct advantage to English armies from the early 14C, as first seen at *Crécy. Its length, which was about the height of the archer, gave it greater strength and range than shorter bows (it also made possible a longer and more lethal arrow), while the simplicity of its action gave the skilled archer more speed and mobility than an enemy cranking the more penetrating crossbow. The best longbows were made of yew. A good archer could shoot six accurate arrows per minute (some might achieve double that rate) with a range of about 180m/200yd. The study of the longbow has been much advanced by the survival of 138 bows and more than 3500 arrows in the *Mary Rose.
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