Archery

The definition and description of a Medieval Archer can be described as a bowman, one skilled in the use of the bow and arrow. However, there were also other types of archers during the period, the longbow man and the crossbowman. A maker of the Medieval Bow and Arrow and other archery goods was called an Artillator. Special places were assigned for the archery training called "The Butts".

"The Butts" was an area used for archery training during the Medieval times by Archers especially using the longbow weapon. The word "Butts" is derived from the Anglo French word "bouter" meaning to expel. IT is now virtually obsolete, but still lives on in English place names such as Newington Butts in South London. The areas designated for archery training during the Medieval times, "The Butts", are described as follows. Archers has to develop skill in using the Medieval longbow which took many years. The first Medieval Archer Law was passed in 1252 when all Englishmen between the ages of 16 to 60 years were ordered, by Law, to equip themselves with bow and arrows. The second archer Law of 1363 made it and obligation for Englishmen to practice their skills with the longbow every Sunday.

The Medieval Butts were usually located on the outskirts of the villages or towns on common land so that villagers were not injured during training. They were situated on a flat area of land up to 200m long. Targets were originally made of a number of circular, turf-covered target mounds with flat tops. The mounds provided a level platform for the targets and ranged between 2-8m across and 1-3m high. Archers practiced commands and motions which could be carried out automatically in battle; the cries of "Nock! Mark! Draw!" would resonate across the Medieval battlefields. The draw weight of a longbow was up to 120 pounds, and a trained archer was expected to shoot 12-15 arrows per minute. He was also expected to hit a target at minimum of 200 yards with an ordinary bow, but the range of a long bow was about 400 yards, and could pierce armor at ranges of more than 250 yards.