>There are no surviving examples of ye olde yew bow<
I seem to recall that there were a number of longbows found within the wreck of the Mary Rose. As to the type or origin of the wood that they were made from, 'don't have the foggiest.
p.s. earlier in the thread someone said something about the flesh of the Yew berries not being poisonous...... I would get a second opion on that first before having some for supper ;-)