The Tower Armoury in the Fourteenth Century by Thom Richardson

The documents surviving from the privy wardrobe — the department which administered the Tower Armoury under Edward III, Richard II and Henry IV — provide a unique insight into the use of arms and armour in England as the Hundred Years War unfolded. Here, Thom Richardson expertly brings these documents to life, answering long-standing questions and challenging assumptions about the use of the longbow and the wearing of armour during this formative period of English history.

Richardson shows how the previously peripatetic armoury became established in the Tower of London at the outbreak of the Hundred Years War, and grew into the national arsenal which today forms the basis of the Royal Armouries — the national museum of arms and armour.

What Scholars Say

"A brilliant assessment of how the English crown prepared for and responded to the demands of warfare… his conclusions will transform our understanding of the 'English way of war'."
— Anne Curry, Professor of History, University of Southampton

"This book answers century-old questions on fourteenth-century military history."
— Kelly DeVries, Professor of History, Loyola University Maryland

"An outstanding work on the topic… essential reading for all medieval military historians."
— Dan Spencer, Visiting Fellow, University of Southampton

Book Details

• Author: Thom Richardson FSA, Curator Emeritus, Royal Armouries
• Publisher: Royal Armouries (1st edition, September 2017)
• Format: Hardback, 288 pages
• ISBN: 978-0948092756
• Dimensions: 23.5 × 15.24 cm

About the Author

Thom Richardson FSA is former Deputy Master and Curator Emeritus at the Royal Armouries. He holds a PhD from the University of York and is the former editor of both the Journal of the Arms and Armour Society and Arms & Armour. He has authored numerous books and articles on armour and related subjects.