In medieval England, communities sometimes bore responsibility for equipping archers raised under the “Commissions of Array” — a system where local men were summoned for military service.

• Parishes and boroughs could be required to supply bows and arrows for their men.
   

• Some archers may have been self-equipped, purchasing their own arrows or receiving support from their local lords.
   

The Logistics of Arrow Supply

Quantity of Arrows Needed

At Agincourt, the English army reportedly included around 5,000–6,000 archers. Medieval archers could fire 10–12 arrows per minute in battle conditions. Though sustained firing was impossible for hours, an archer might expend hundreds of arrows in a single engagement.

Historians estimate that the English army carried hundreds of thousands of arrows to ensure adequate supply.

Transport and Storage

Arrows were packed in quivers carried by archers, but bulk arrows were transported on wagons or by porters following the army.

The royal supply system had to ensure arrows were kept dry, accessible, and distributed at the right time.

Royal Workshops and Arrow Production

The Crown maintained royal workshops responsible for producing military equipment. These workshops might have been directly involved in manufacturing arrows for campaigns.

Additionally, private merchants and craftsmen supplied arrows to the Crown through contracts. shutdown123