.jpg){kind=small}
The Company of the Holy Rood
The Company of the Holy Rood was formed in order to further the research and practice of the skills required to shoot longbows of the type made famous by English armies during the period later known as the Hundred Years War. We are based around the city of Southampton with our home ground on the Exbury estate in the New Forest, although shooting takes us to venues throughout England, and even as far a field as France
Our name reflects Hampshire's connection with the Longbowmen of the Hundred Years War. Whilst awaiting embarkation orders for France, retinues of men-at-arms and archers in the service of the great lords of the middle ages would muster in the fields of Southampton, Romsey and throughout the entire New Forest. These companies would use their time to practice tactics and fine tune their skills with bow, sword and lance. Indeed many archers prayed in Southampton’s Holy Rood Church before leaving for the Agincourt campaign and an uncertain fate. It is in honour of those archers that we take our name.
Our name reflects Hampshire's connection with the Longbowmen of the Hundred Years War. Whilst awaiting embarkation orders for France, retinues of men-at-arms and archers in the service of the great lords of the middle ages would muster in the fields of Southampton, Romsey and throughout the entire New Forest. These companies would use their time to practice tactics and fine tune their skills with bow, sword and lance. Indeed many archers prayed in Southampton’s Holy Rood Church before leaving for the Agincourt campaign and an uncertain fate. It is in honour of those archers that we take our name.
.jpg)
Although there is a place in modern archery for GNAS, BL-BS and NFAS style competition, the majority of our activities revolve around medieval themed events, such as medieval fayres, battle re-enactments and roving marks shoots within the grounds of great country houses, both here and in Europe. Members are also available for film work, and occasionally arrange demonstrations to educate the public
The skills of the medieval archer would not be complete without an understanding of the expertise required to make and maintain our own equipment and to this end members are encouraged to learn the craft of bowyer and fletcher, helping to keep these old skills alive. We strive to ensure our equipment accurately reflects the styles in use during this period.
The skills of the medieval archer would not be complete without an understanding of the expertise required to make and maintain our own equipment and to this end members are encouraged to learn the craft of bowyer and fletcher, helping to keep these old skills alive. We strive to ensure our equipment accurately reflects the styles in use during this period.
Special importance is given to members learning to handle bows of authentic draw weight and as such we are one of only a handful of such groups in existence. Many so called medieval archery societies use low draw weight Victorian-style bows and modern shooting methods which can give a skewed 'Holywoodesque' image of the medieval archer. It is our aim to banish these false images and give the public a true representation of the military archer of that age. One way of doing this is to represent the actual methods used to shoot heavy bows, with members shooting 'in the bow' - a method which employs the strength of the entire body to draw the string back to the ear, as used to such deadly effect at the battles of Crecy, Poitiers and Agincourt. To be proficient in medieval archery practise is spent at a variety of disciplines, from shooting at the butts, to roving marks, wand, flight, speed and clout but unfortunately not at the hunt!
.jpg)