[Archers] Hugh Soar's CROOKED STICK

[Garth Groff]

Noble friends of the bow,

Just before Christmas I stumbled on a gently used copy of Hugh Soar's 
THE CROOKED STOCK (Westholm, 2005 & 2009). This is an archery book of 
which I had never heard, though I have two other works by Soar (I ought 
to have read the blurbs on their dust jackets). Anyway, I snatched it up 
for just $20.

This is really a great book. It is not particularly long or deep, but 
Soar explores a number of medieval archery topics that are not well 
covered in other works (including his own two books on the warbow). For 
example, he devotes a few pages in one chapter on medieval children's 
archery, and shows us a youngster's finger tab (which looks surprisingly 
modern). He also notes several times that left-handed archers 
("sinistrals") were not tolerated, and if they couldn't adapt would not 
be allowed in retinues. The book continues discussing the changing 
post-medieval fortunes of archery in general, and the longbow in 
particular, almost up to the present. There are many photos of beautiful 
18th and 19th century sport longbows in the author's own collection, 
usually with detailed descriptions. He also covers the brief craze for 
steel bows. Soar even shows us one longbow which belong to the fabled 
Olympic archer and soldier "Mad Jack" Churchill (he's in Wikipedia), who 
potted a German soldier with a hunting arrow during the retreat to 
Dunkirk (though Soar doesn't say this is THE infamous bow). The appendix 
also discusses such side issues as the history of bracers and quivers.

Altogether, I think this book is a very valuable work, and fills in some 
important gaps in the history of English archery. I urge you all to read 
it sometime, even the modern sections. It should be easily available 
through interlibrary loan.

Yours Aye,


Lord Mungo Napier, Shire of Isenfir TA Marshal