[MR] Long Bow Rest Discovery

[james barker]

Are you saying it is a rest? The museum curator said it is not a rest in the 
return email you got.


James de Biblesworth









----Original Message Follows----
From: "Marco" <marcodaverona at earthlink.net>
To: "merry rose" <atlantia at atlantia.sca.org>
Subject: [MR] Long Bow Rest Discovery
Date: Fri, 4 May 2007 10:04:54 -0400

Good Gentiles,

I travel abroad several times a year and always revisit several musuems as 
they tend to rotate displays.   Recently the Musuem of London remodeled 
thier Medieval section and updated many items.   As an SCA Long Bowman and 
Archery Marshal, I found many items of interest, from arrow heads to arm 
guards on display.   But the most interesting piece that I found was a small 
piece of wood described as a "Longbow mount".   As many know this has been 
long discussed within the SCA as to wether or not there were any sort of 
arrow rests on longbows.   Hopefully, this will answer any further 
arguements.   My picture of the mount did not turn out very well due to the 
glass case so once I returned I contacted the musuem about this piece and 
requested information about it as well as thier catalog pictures if 
available.   The following are the exerpts of my discussions with the 
museum.


Dear Mr Connelly,

This longbow mount with ?griffin-head terminal was recovered from the Thames 
foreshore at Vauxhall and was acquired by the museum in 1913.  The 
dimensions are: L 93 mm; W 18 mm; H 37 mm and the mount is made from wood. I 
am afraid there is nothing else on file about this piece, although I rather 
thought that it served the purpose of a mount rather than an 'arrow rest'.  
Perhaps Robert Hardy's book on the History of the Long Bow will offer 
further clues.

For furture reference the accession number is: A3887 and if you would like a 
photograph you will need to contact our Picture Library (please see website 
for details) or telephone 0207 814 5604    Please cite the accession number 
which will help the PL to locate the image quickly.

Yours sincerely

H Forsyth
Senior Curator Post-Medieval Collections


It is thought to date to the 16th century - but this is supposition.  
Organic materials actually survive best in wet or waterlogged anerobic 
deposits.  Specialists who have looked at this item in the past have 
suggested that it was fixed to the bow.

Hazel Forsyth
Senior Curator (Post-Medieval)
Museum of London
150 London Wall
London. EC2Y 5HN
Tel: 020 7814 5737
Fax: 0870 444 3853
Email: hforsyth at museumoflondon.org.uk
www.museumoflondon.org.uk


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