Exeter and Plymouth Gazette, West Country wrestlers: Longhurst on Devon and Cornish style (1910)

“West-country Wrestlers” — subject dealt with by Percy Longhurst in a current publication. He says it is 300 years since one old writer declared there was not a 12-year-old boy in Cornwall who could not give a stranger, curious of the style of wrestling, a fall or, at foil. But the game still goes on merrily in the country parts, though it is doubtful whether it may now be claimed for the natives of Devonshire and Cornwall that they are the best wrestlers in England.

That the game, played as it deserves, is one of the fairest, manliest, most honest, and scientific that man has met with, none who are acquainted with it will deny. The Cornish and Devon style of wrestling certainly form one of the fairest, manliest, most honest, and scientific sports ever met with, and there is rarely a single ill point to urge against it. As an exercise there can be none better, as wrestling is the means whereby one may defend oneself against casual assaults.