Polwhele, Historical views of Devonshire: wrestling and popular recreations (1793)
WRESTLING IN DEVON AND CORNWALL.
Richard Polwhele’s Historical Views of Devonshire (1793) constitutes the first modern county history of Devon and provides the earliest sustained account of popular recreations—including wrestling—in the region at the close of the eighteenth century, predating all newspaper sources in the archive by approximately a decade.
Polwhele observes that wrestling was among the most general recreations of the people of Devon and Cornwall, ranking it alongside hurling as a defining feature of Westcountry popular culture. His account draws on both classical learning and direct observation of the sport as it was then practised, situating it within a broader antiquarian framework that connects the wrestling customs of Devon and Cornwall to ancient precedents in Greek and Roman athletic tradition.
At page 205, Polwhele records wrestling as a principal diversion of the common people of Devon, noting its particular prevalence at parish feasts, fairs, and annual sporting occasions. He observes that it was the universal practice of Devon and Cornwall boys to challenge one another to wrestling from an early age—an observation that echoes and predates the better-known passage in Carew’s Survey of Cornwall (1602). The wrestlers of Devon were noted for their shoe-play and kicking; those of Cornwall for their hugging and heaving. Polwhele remarks that the two counties had long maintained this rivalry, each considering its own method superior, and that matches between representatives of the two styles drew large and passionate crowds.
If we pursue the Damnonians from their habitations to the field, we shall see them chiefly occupied by manly exercises. Their principal sports seem to have been hunting, fowling, the baiting of wild beasts, and wrestling and hurling.
…But wrestling and hurling were the sports, that more peculiarly characterized the Danmonians. Among the general customs (says (d’) Borlase) we must not forget the manly exercises of wrestling and hurling; the former more generally practiced in this county than in any part of England, the latter peculiar to it.
The Cornish have been remarkable for their expertness in athletary contentions for many ages, as if they inherited the skill and strength of the first Duke Corinaeus, whose fame consists chiefly in the reputation he won by wrestling with, and overcoming the giant Gogmagog — a fable perhaps founded five hundred years since upon the then acknowledged and universal reputation of the people of this county for wrestling. But to leave fables; what should have implanted this custom in such a corner of Britain, and preserved it hitherto in its full vigour, when either never affected at all, or with indifference in other parts of the island, we cannot say : Certain it is the Grecians, who traded hither for tin, and hither only, had the highest esteem for this exercise. The arts of the Palaestra were chiefly cultivated by the Lacedemonians : And yet Plato himself among the Athenians was so far from disapproving the exercise, that he recommends it to the practice of old as well as young women, and thinks it proper for them oftentimes to wrestle with men, that thereby they might become more patient of labor, and learn to struggle with the difficulties incident to a warlike state. The ardor for this exercise so prevailed at last, that all Greece devoted their time and inclinations to the Gymnasia and Palaestra, and chose rather to be accounted the moft expert wrestlers, than to be celebrated as the most knowing and valiant commanders. (b) Whether the Cornish borrowed this custom from the Grecians, or whatever else was the cause, you will hardly any where meet with a party of boys who will not readily entertain you with a specimen of their skill in this profession. Hurling is a trial of skill and activity between two parties of twenty, forty, or any intermediate number ; sometimes betwixt two or more parishes, but more usually, and indeed practiced in a more friendly manner, betwixt those of the same parish ; for the better understanding which distinction, it must be premised, that betwixt those of the same parish there is a natural connexion supposed, from which (caeteris paribus) no one member can depart without forfeiting all esteem. As this unites the inhabitants of a parish, each parish looks upon itself as obliged to contend for its own fame, and oppose the pretentions, and superiority of its neighbours. It is so termed from throwing or hurling a ball, which is a round piece of timber, (about three inches diameter) covered with plated silver, sometimes gilt. It has usually a motto in the Cornish tongue alluding to the pastime, as Guare wheag, yw Guare teag, that is, fair play is good play. Upon catching this ball dexterously when it is dealt, and carrying it off expeditiously, notwithstanding all the opposition of the adverse party, success depends. This exercise requires force and nimbleness of hand, a quick eye, swiftness of foot, skill in wrestling, strength and breath to preserve in running, address to deceive and evade the enemy, and judgment to deliver the ball into proper hands, as occasion shall offer : in short, a pastime that kindles emulation in the youngest breast, and like this requires so general an exertion of all the faculties of the body, cannot but be of great use to supple, strengthen, and particularly tend to prepare it for all the exercises of the camp.”
(d) Nat. Hist. p. 299, 300. Carew is more minute in his description of these manly exercises. See period of Henry the 8th, where I have adverted to Carew’s description. In his remarks on the story of Corineus, we perceive his notion of the Danmonian wrestling. “I am not ignorant (says Carew) how sorely the whole storie of Brute, is shaken by some of our late writers, and how stiffely supported by other some: as also that this WRASTLING PULL between Corineus and Gogmagog, is reported to have befallen at Dover. For mine owne part, though I reverence antiquitie, and reckon it a kind of wrong, to exact an ever-strict reason for all that which upon credite shee delivereth; yet I rather incline to their side, who would warrant her authentic by apparent veritie. Notwithstanding, in this question, I will not take on me the person of either judge, or stickler: And, therefore, if there bee any plunged in the common floud, as they will still gripe fast, what they have once caught hold on, let them sport themselves with these conjectures, upon which mine averment in behalf of Plymmouth is grounded. The place where Brute is said to have first landed, was Totnes in Cornwall, and therefore this wrastling likely to have chaunced there sooner than elsewhere. The province bestowed upon Corineus for this exploit, was Cornwall. It may then be presumed, that he received in reward the place where hee made proof of his worth, and whose prince (for so with others I take Gogmagog to have beene) hee had conquered, even as Cyrus recompenced Zopirus with the citie Babylon, which his policie had recovered. Againe, the activitie of Devon and Cornishmen, in this facultie of wrastling, beyond those of other shires, doth seeme to derive them a speciall pedigree, from their graund wrastler Corineus. Moreover, upon the Hawe, at Plymmouth, there is cut out in the ground, the pourtrayture of two men, the one bigger, the other lesser, with clubbes in their hands, whom they terme Gogmagog: And (as I have learned) it is renewed by order of the townesmen, when cause requireth—which should inferre the same to bee a monument of some moment. And lastly, the place having a steepe cliff adjoyning, affordeth an opportunitie to the fact.” Survey of Cornwall, p. 2.
“The Britains were very swift, neither did they encumber themselves with any armour, which they could not at pleasure fling away. They had a shield and a short fpear, in the nether part whereof hung a bell, by the shaking of which they thought to affright and amaze their enemies. They used daggers also, and girded their swords to their sides by an iron chain.” Mag. Brit. p. 14.
Polwhele also records the names of celebrated champion wrestlers of the period, including references to Lyttelton Weynorth, described as the champion wrestler of all England during the Restoration, who wrestled several times before King Charles II. His account of eighteenth-century champions at St Gorran and other parishes provides a rare documentary link between the pre-Cann and post-Cann eras.
The work was published in five volumes, 1793–1806, from Exeter by Trewman and Son. Volume 1 covers the British Period through to the Norman era; the wrestling references appear in the sections treating the customs and character of the Danmonians and the popular recreations of Devon. Full text freely available at archive.org (identifier: historicalviewso00polw).
Polwhele, R. (1793). Historical views of Devonshire (Vol. 1). Trewman and Son for Cadell, Dilly, and Murray, Exeter and London.
Available via Archive.org. Cited in: Jaouen, G. (2014). Transforming Cornish and Devon wrestling and Gouren through sportification. International Journal of the History of Sport, 31(4), 414–430 (note 33); and Tripp, M. (2023). Cornish wrestling in the nineteenth century. Sport in History, 43(2), 137–165.