Team GB archer takes on Warwick Castle bowman to showcase archery across the ages

Ahead of the UK’s first medieval archery festival taking place at Warwick Castle this half-term, Team GB archer and Olympic hopeful Tom Hall took on castle bowman Lewis Copson in a display of focus, skill and accuracy comparing the two styles from across the ages.

Tom Hall, aged 29, competed as part of the men’s world championship team that qualified a team place for Tokyo for Team GB.

Tom showcased his accuracy using a recurve bow made of aluminium, wood and carbon laminate, while Lewis Copson opted for a traditionally-made wooden bow to exhibit the distances arrows can be shot using older techniques and equipment - hundreds of metres as opposed to the 70 metre distance that modern target archery takes place over.

Lewis, who has been one of Warwick Castle’s bowman for over ten years, is Warwick born and bred and will be leading a company of more than ten bowmen for next week’s Festival of Archery where visitors can enjoy daily demonstrations and displays.

Lewis also offered Tom instruction in the art of longbowmanship which has “more in common than different to modern archery” said Tom, who only took up the sport himself while studying at the University of Warwick in 2010.

Tom also encouraged people heading to Warwick Castle to give archery a try. He said: "Trying it out somewhere like Warwick Castle is a great way to see whether you like it. I’d encourage anyone to give it a go and experience how satisfying it is.”

Next week, visitors will also be able to learn from the Castle archers and ‘have-a- go’ for themselves.

Entry to Warwick Castle’s inaugural Festival of Archery is included with all standard entry tickets. Additional charge applies to ‘Have a Go Archery’.