New set of roving arrows

Raven's_Eye

Active member
Ironman
Yep, standard weight, standard dimensions etc. I'm not sure using Cornwell as any type of theoretical basis is a good move - those books were a long way off! He had archers making their own bows in a space of a few days. Green unseasoned warbows.... Fun!
Agree Cornwall's books are works of fiction, but it would be logical for an archer in an unfriendly place to try and reuse what part of the arrows that they can, so taken heads off broken shafts would be some what logical.
 

WillS

New member
Says silk is most likely on there, Alistair. Dunno if it's my screen but the image is impossible to see clear enough whether the binding has any obvious twists in it.
 

outcaste

Member
Says silk is most likely on there, Alistair. Dunno if it's my screen but the image is impossible to see clear enough whether the binding has any obvious twists in it.
'Greylag goose pinions and silk thread seemed suitably authentic materials for its Westminster Abbey provenance. The bindings are covered in the above agent but not as thickly as the original'.

The above (taken from the site) is with regard to the construction of a replica.
 

WillS

New member
I was looking at the text that said "the witness marks on the shaft shows the feathers were a little over 7" and bound on by fine thread, likely to have been silk, at around 1/4" per turn" in the section discussing the actual artefact.
 

outcaste

Member
I was looking at the text that said "the witness marks on the shaft shows the feathers were a little over 7" and bound on by fine thread, likely to have been silk, at around 1/4" per turn" in the section discussing the actual artefact.
Not sure where you are reading this from? Perhaps you are confusing the text connected to the arrows found on the MR with the Westminster section? I can however, if you are interested suggest that you read the original research carried out by Pratt and Hardy (1975) that gives a very detailed account of the arrow, with discussions of the type of bow that might have been used to shoot it.
 

WillS

New member
Alistair, this is the exact text from the warbowwales "warbow arrows" page, from the heading "The Westminster Abbey Arrow" down to the first picture of the head.

WarbowWales said:
The Westminster Abbey Arrow

The first phase of most medieval battles was a missile bombardment from both sides in order to soften-up or provoke the enemy to attack. These arrowstorms could be devastating as at the Battle of Shrewsbury in 1403 where many of indentured Welsh archers would have fought.
A contemporary chronicler wrote of the arrowstorm from Hotspur?s archers...

Initially arrows designed to travel as far as possible (whilst still being effective) were shot, these were called bearing arrows. An arrow that was discovered in the roof of Westminster Abbey during maintenance over a century ago was likely to have been of this type. This arrow is medieval, not Tudor (as the Mary Rose arrows are but share many similarities). The nock is reinforced with a delicate sliver of horn and a similar compound has been applied over the feather bindings like so many of the Mary Rose arrows. The 29? (approx) shaft has been tapered to a slim nock and perhaps made of aspen although Dr. Hardy and Dr. Pratt were unable to definitively identify the wood when they carried out the most in-depth investigation of the arrow to date. Warbow Wales' first-hand observation of the arrow showed that no discernable annual growth rings are apparent, as with ash (which is surprising as Hardy and Strickland, in The Great Warbow, suggest it is indeed of ash?). This made birch another a possible candidate. To ensure enough forward of centre the widest part of the shaft, 11.2mm starts 1/3rd of the way back from the base of the arrowhead. This tapers to a little over 7.5 mm at the base of the nock. The arrow head socket is 11 mm in diameter. The witness marks on the shaft shows the feathers were a little over 7" and bound on by fine tread, likely to have been silk, at around 1/4" a turn. The overall weight is a tad over 43g but an amount must be added for the feathers, damaged arrowhead and possible desiccation over time.
 

WillS

New member
Something I picked up from the Warbow Wales article is the term "bearing" arrow. I know that the New Zealand chapter of the EWBS have their own bearing arrow, but I'd not read a whole lot about it. The WA arrow looks like a perfect example (if perhaps slightly short) of what a bearing arrow would be.

It's also, annoyingly, made me want to buy a dozen birch or poplar shafts and barrel them, to make some replicas.
 

outcaste

Member
Sorry Wills, but initially I thought you had said that the WA was bound with red silk, which is why I suggested looking at the images of the arrow which only has the compound left on the shaftment with slight witness marks. The Warbow Wales text suggests that silk would be likely, not definite, and like much research, looks to contemporary writings on the matter to fill in the gaps. Obviously I'm aware of the WW copy, which is why I was confused that you were using it as evidence?

I think we might be in danger derailing a thread about a nice set or arrows!

Alistair
 

WillS

New member
No worries Alistair - crossed wires! I tend to type in a rush, and it often gets muddled! I only meant the MR whipping was red, but may have written as though I was referring to the WA arrow as well. I know very little about the WA arrow (in fact I wasn't aware of the WW article so I've learned more about it as a result of this discussion!)

Thread derailments are fine - it seems there's little interest in here for traditional arrows, so if it can turn into something with some interesting discussion then that's all good!
 
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