other than its historical application, what is an English war bow?

[Ballasted_Bowyer]

Is it a self bow?
is it a bow with D section limbs?
could it be backed or laminated in different woods?
etc.

[willie]

I do not know how english war bows are different from other warbows, but I do see that the viking bow is posted in the main bow forum. I had always thought that it was the normans who brought the warbow to england? And surely they must have been introduced to France also, but  I have never heard of a french warbow, or at least, seen one posted here. There are a few different societies that debate the distinctions between various  types, but from what I understand, not many different historical examples to support as much debate as is often seen.
Someone from across the pond should be along shortly, as they are most likely sleeping this time of day.

[Pat B]

The English(Welch) War Bows were like light artillery in their day. They were a long range(300 yards) and shot a heavy shaft(1000-2000gr) with a number of different points, from broadheads to crescents to bodkins and were used against horse and foot soldiers and I imagine over the castle wall. The original EWBs were selfbows made from yew, elm and ash.
 I'm sure what I write will be corrected by guys that really know.

[Ruddy Darter]

An English warbow today is regarded as a bow that follows the historical profile of medieval martial longbows,  ie not flat bellied but D section/oval and variants of this, draws full compass and generally passed the ear.
There's historical replica class, ie self yew warbows,
Meane wood warbows, other woods used that would of been used,  ie ash, elm, hazel etc
And laminate warbows, bows made of the same profile with laminated strips.
The weight for a warbow is generally regarded as being 80-180lbs+
There are other spec requirements, but someone else would probably be better to answer those.

 R.D.

[DC]

Is there a difference between an ELB and an English warbow or does ELB cover just abut anything ever used in England.

[WillS]

ELB is more an American term for sporting longbows with a D section.  It's never really used here in the UK as we either have "longbows" or "warbows". 

Personally I don't care for all the definitions of what makes a warbow - the ones we have to copy and base them on are so varied in their weight, cross section, shape, size and tiller shapes that I just think of a "warbow" as anything made of indigenous wood that can shoot a heavy military arrow far enough and hard enough to do damage at 240 yards or so.

[WillS]

As an example, if you were to make a very heavy hazel bow in the 150, 160lb range you'd more than likely end up with a reverse D section - very flat belly and rounded back.  This would never fit the "D section" classification of a "longbow/warbow" but it would be arguably acceptable as either.

[stuckinthemud]

and just to be really truly picky, the Normans were Vikings, or at least of Viking descent.......as far as the ancient ancestry of the long bow is concerned, I was under the impression that long, heavy, bows were found throughout Europe, and that they most likely were developed by the native British peoples (Celtic/Romano-British and then the Welsh)- as opposed to the Anglo-Saxon arrivals?

[WillS]

Look at Otzi's bow.  It's like a carbon copy of the Mary Rose bows, just inside out.  I know people insist it wasn't finished, but I think that's daft.  Either way, it was a long, damn heavy bow.  And that was from 3200 BC!

The Ballinderry bow is another almost identical bow to the MR ones, from the 10th Century in Ireland.  For as long as we can go back, people have been using whacking great bows. 

[Lucasade]

For as long as we can go back, people have been using whacking great bows.

People being people, I would imagine that when we first came down from the trees there would be the 'I can throw this further than you' thing going on... 

[FilipT]

To the OP:

English warbow is love. English warbow is life. That what warbow is.

[Strichev]

Get out of here, Stalker! Tell that story about love and life to the French. 

[FilipT]

I said come in, don't stand there! True true they got their share of love back in the day.