<P> Although longbows were much faster and more accurate than the black - powder weapons which replaced them, longbowmen always took a long time to train because of the years of practice necessary before a war longbow could be used effectively (examples of longbows from the Mary Rose typically had draws greater than 637 N (143 lb)). In an era in which warfare was usually seasonal, and non-noble soldiers spent part of the year working at farms, the year - round training required for the effective use of the longbow was a challenge . A standing army was an expensive proposition to a medieval ruler . Mainland European armies seldom trained a significant longbow corps . Due to their specialized training, English longbowmen were sought as mercenaries in other European countries, most notably in the Italian city - states and in Spain . The White Company, comprising men - at - arms and longbowmen and commanded by Sir John Hawkwood, is the best known English Free Company of the 14th century . The powerful Hungarian king, Louis the Great, is an example of someone who used longbowmen in his Italian campaigns . </P> <P> Longbows remained in use until around the 16th century, when advances in firearms made gunpowder weapons a significant factor in warfare and such units as arquebusiers and grenadiers began appearing . Despite this, the English Crown made numerous efforts to continue to promote archery practice by banning other sports and fining people for not possessing bows . Indeed, just before the English Civil War, a pamphlet by William Neade entitled The Double - Armed Man advocated that soldiers be trained in both the longbow and pike; although this advice was followed only by a few town militias . </P> <P> The Battle of Flodden (1513) was "a landmark in the history of archery, as the last battle on English soil to be fought with the longbow as the principal weapon ..." The last recorded use of bows in an English battle may have been a skirmish at Bridgnorth, in October 1642, during the Civil War, when an impromptu town militia, armed with bows, proved effective against un-armoured musketeers . The Battle of Tippermuir (1644), in Scotland, may have been the last battle involving the longbow . Longbowmen remained a feature of the Royalist Army, but were not used by the Roundheads . </P> <P> Longbows have been in continuous production and use for sport and for hunting to the present day, but since 1642 they have been a minority interest, and very few have had the high draw weights of the medieval weapons . Other differences include the use of a stiffened non-bending centre section, rather than a continuous bend . </P>

When was the longbow last used in battle