The Welsh bow or Welsh longbow was a medieval weapon used by Welsh soldiers. They were documented by

Gerald of Wales Gerald of Wales (; ; ; ) was a Cambro-Norman priest and historian. As a royal clerk to the king and two archbishops, he travelled widely and wrote extensively. He studied and taught in France and visited Rome several times, meeting the Pope. He ...

around 1188, who writes of the bows used by the Welsh men of Gwent: "They are made neither of horn, ash nor yew, but of elm. " He reported that the bows of Gwent were "stiff and strong, not only for missiles to be shot from a distance, but also for sustaining heavy blows in close quarters." He gave examples of the performance of these bows: The powerful Welsh bow may have later been one influence that inspired the creation of the

English longbow The English longbow was a powerful medieval type of bow, about long. While it is debated whether it originated in England or in Wales from the Welsh bow, by the 14th century the longbow was being used by both the English and the Welsh as ...

References

Bows (archery) Medieval archery Medieval history of Wales History of archery {{Archery